Birds

Marsh Birds

The District monitors 22 DuPage County wetlands for the presence of endangered, threatened, and uncommon birds, such as the common moorhen, yellow-headed blackbird, and sandhill crane.

Barn Owls

Since 2004, the District has released dozens of state-endangered barn owls as part of a reintroduction program. District ecologists have received grants and assistance from agencies throughout the region to support the rearing, release and monitoring of these fascinating birds of prey. Several of the barn owls carry satellite transmitters that allow ecologists to monitor them anywhere in the world.

• To learn more about our efforts to revitalize the species’ population in the state of Illinois, view Barn Owl Dispersal and Survival Project.

• To watch videos of barn owls raised in a captive-rearing, dispersal and survival program, view Barn Owl Dispersal and Survival Project Video.

• To view recent photos during the captive rearing and release of barn owls in northern Illinois, view Barn Owl Photo Gallery.

Breeding Birds

Since 1997, volunteer breeding-bird monitors have helped District ecologists assess bird populations and update forest preserve species lists. Recent analysis has shown increased populations of the blue-gray gnatcatcher, field sparrow, bobolink, eastern towhee and Henslow’s sparrow. The program provides important statistics on population trends, which the Bird Monitoring Network integrates into regionwide data. The District also uses the information to develop resource-management plans.

• For the most recent summary of bird population trends in District
  forest preserves, download  Bird Population Trends.
• For a summary of the Breeding Bird Atlas results,
  download Bird Breeding Summary.
• For more information regarding the adverse effects of a rapid invasion
  of exotic plants on breeding birds, download Forest Songbird Study.

Bluebirds

Volunteer bluebird monitors annually collect nesting data in order to help District ecologists determine nesting success rates, box preferences, population trends and the overall success of bluebird populations. To view information collected during monitoring, download Bluebird Monitoring Program.

MAPS Program

District ecologists and volunteers complete annual surveys at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien as part of the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship program, a nationwide effort to determine population trends and habitat preferences of breeding birds in order to develop proper conservation strategies. Recently, organizers have integrated avian-influenza surveillance into the program. To view the most recent survey, download MAPS Report.

Additional Studies

• For the most recent summary of screech owl populations in District
  forest preserves, download Eastern Screech-Owl Survey.
• For more information about migrant shorebirds at Greene Valley,
  download Failed Wetland? We Think Not.
• For the most recent summary of migrating hawks at the Greene Valley Scenic Overlook, download Hawkwatch Summary.