More Recent News
Finally, It’s Official: The Bald Eagle Is America’s National Bird
Most everyone recognizes the Bald Eagle as America’s national bird. It first appeared in 1782 on the Great Seal, a symbol of American strength and sovereignty as a nation. But the fact is that it just officially became our national bird on Christmas Eve 2024, when President Biden signed a bipartisan bill designating the Bald Eagle as the official bird of the United States. We can all heartily endorse this acknowledgment, notwithstanding one of our forefather’s objections-Ben Franklin thought the Bald Eagle was “a bird of bad moral character” since it is known to steal food from other birds. Franklin […]
News from the Forest Preserve
Avian Flu: Avian Flu incidents are being monitored carefully by the District. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has advised citizens to report any sightings of five or more dead birds to their local IDNR representative and to avoid handling any sick or deceased birds. In DuPage, contact Nicky Strahl at nicky.strahl@illinois.gov. Pratt’s Wayne Woods-Southeast: During closed session the DuPage County Forest Preserve Board discussed the acquisition through negotiation or condemnation of a parcel known as “Pratt’s Wayne Wood-Southeast” by the Forest Preserve District. This parcel is 43 acres with over 200 oak trees, some exceeding 200 years old and […]
Good News from McCormick Place
The deadly night in October of 2023 during which almost 1,000 birds crashed into the glass walls of McCormick Place remains one of the most sad and tragic events to befall our city in recent memory. The carnage roused the region’s conservation groups, civic leaders, and ordinary citizens to mobilize. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Field Museum, and Chicago Bird Collision Monitors negotiated a solution with McCormick Place to install bird-safe film on the Convention Center windows in a $1.2 million investment-all in time for fall migration. The good news is good indeed: only 18 dead birds were […]