Research

Urban Ornithology: New Study on Avian Nesting & Climate Change from Chicago Ornithologists

Urban Ornithology: New Study on Avian Nesting & Climate Change from Chicago Ornithologists

In Spring 2022, the Journal of Animal Ecology published an extensive study about avian nesting behavior and climate change conducted by a group of Chicago-based ornithologists. Researchers from University of Chicago, Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Field Museum utilized field observations and the museum’s historical records to track nesting dates for 72 species of birds spanning 143 years. This article not only serves as an interesting contribution to the scientific community, but also as a testament to the prominence of Chicago’s institutions and its urban ornithologists. In hopes of getting this information to as many birders as possible, past the inaccessibility of statistical jargon and academic pay-walls, we offer a short summary.

Chicago’s Rivers: A Lifeline for Birds

Chicago’s Rivers: A Lifeline for Birds

In spring and early summer 2020, Chicago Audubon Society joined with Chicago Ornithological Society, Illinois Ornithological Society and the Friends of the Chicago River to promote River Blitz Chicago!, a community science effort to document birds along Chicago’s rivers, and to substantiate the importance of river habitats to area wildlife.