And now some good news about piping plovers for Chicago.
Imani, a chick of beloved plover pair Monty and Rose, was spotted in Duluth, Minnesota on May 16 and the sighting has been confirmed, according to the president of the Chicago Ornithological Society, Edward Warden.
Monty and Rose had nested in Chicago every year since 2019 after migrating from their wintering spots in Texas and Florida. This year, Rose has been nowhere to be found and Monty died last week after arriving at Montrose Beach on April 21.
People have taken to social media to mourn the death, and some have organized memorials and commemorations.
Warden said Friday’s news brings hope.
“That’s the best that we can hope for,” Warden said. “That however long Monty and Rose were going to be with us, whether that was five years or 10 years, that their young would go on to continue their story.”
Rose and Monty hatched Imani on Montrose Beach in 2021 along with three other chicks. Only two survived. Siewka, the other chick, has not been spotted so far this year.
Warden said it’s not yet certain what Imani’s plans are. “We don’t know if he’s pursuing a mate or looking for a nest, or maybe will end up somewhere else in the Great Lakes,” Warden said.
Armand Cann, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said plovers look for an ideal spot within their range.
Wherever Imani ends up, Warden said Chicago did its part to help piping plovers by ensuring Monty and Rose were successful in raising their young.
“As long as they are out there thriving, we can wait a year, five years, 10 years for plovers to return to Chicago, as long as we know that we did our part in ensuring that the species survives,” Warden said.
