Baby steps: For Father’s Day, Imani’s week-old piping plover chicks are healthy, thriving and preparing to fly

Monday, June 22, 2026

Four piping plover chicks hatched recently on Chicago’s Montrose Beach and have remained healthy despite early weather challenges, monitored closely by a team of volunteers. Their survival and growth represent a positive sign for the endangered species’ recovery, with community involvement through observation, conservation efforts, and a public naming contest helping to support their protection.

Chicago’s piping plover population is showing promising signs of growth, as four recently hatched chicks remain healthy and active on Montrose Beach. The birds, offspring of the pair named Imani and Sea Rocket, reached their one-week milestone on Monday, drawing close attention from both their parents and a dedicated team of 115 monitors.

The young chicks hatched amid concerns over severe weather conditions in the days following their arrival, but the forecasted threats did not materialize into harm, thanks largely to protective efforts by their mother. She sheltered the hatchlings during periods of rain, ensuring their safety through the vulnerable early stage, lead plover monitor Tamima Itani reported.

Looking ahead, the group is preparing for a key developmental milestone on July 8, when the chicks will reach 23 days old. On that day, the birds are generally regarded as fully fledged, regardless of whether they have taken flight. In the meantime, observers have noted the chicks beginning to extend their wings and make small hops, early indicators of impending flight capability.

Piping plovers exhibit distinct parental roles, with both mother and father sharing incubation and early brooding duties. As the chicks mature, male plovers typically take on a larger role in caregiving, a pattern common among shorebird species. In honor of Father’s Day, Itani highlighted the plover fathers’ contributions to chick rearing. She recounted last year’s memorable sighting of Imani leading his chicks on a 100-yard flight exercise along the pier and beach, a behavior described as “flight school” that encourages the young birds to venture farther from their nesting site.

Community engagement remains strong, with numerous visitors frequenting Montrose Beach to observe the endangered plovers. Itani noted that visitor numbers often range between 15 and 20, including tourists from as far as India. Visitors are asked to respect protective boundaries marked by ropes near the pier and to help maintain the beach by picking up litter. Cooperative behavior has been widely reported.

In addition, a naming contest for the chicks is underway, welcoming public submissions through Sunday evening. The selection committee, which has overseen the naming of Chicago’s piping plovers since 2021, emphasizes names connected to the city’s cultural heritage. Among the favorites is Nagamo, an Ojibwe word meaning “they sing,” reflecting the birds’ distinctive calls. More than 350 entries had been received by Saturday night.

The ongoing monitoring and community interest underscore a broader effort to protect this imperiled species and foster a connection between urban residents and their local wildlife.