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Bald eaglets hatch in Chicago for first time in over 100 years
A rare sight in Chicago! Bald eaglets have hatched in the city for the first time in more than a century. The Chicago Park District says habitat restoration helped bring them back, and residents are being asked to keep their distance to protect the nest. Video Credit: Dustin Weidner via Storyful
CHICAGO - Three names have been chosen as finalists for Chicago's newest bald eagle babies, according to the Chicago Park District.
Since two eagle chicks were born at Park 597 in late April and early May – the first eagles born in Chicago in over 100 years – the city has been looking for the perfect names for the cherubs.
The public must now choose two of the top three names for the new babies – Migizi, the word for bald eagle in the Ojibwe language; Marian, for Marian R. Byrnes, the Chicago environmentalist and civil rights activist; and Clawumet, for Calumet, where the eaglets' nest is located.
The names with the most votes will be revealed the first week of June. Bird enthusiasts have until June 1 at 11:59 p.m. to let their voices be heard. Check out this link to vote today!
The backstory:
A Chicago Park District committee reviewed 3,271 name entries provided by 1,161 participants from all over the city and all over the world – some as far as Argentina. Billy Soaragin, Phoenix and Hope were a few of the runners-up.
The Chicago Park District have been working to restore the eagles' natural habitat in the area, and their efforts seem to be paying off. Officials noticed some nesting activity in February.
"Restoring park habitats to their natural state maximizes positive impact, making experiences like this one truly powerful," said Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. "We’d like it to be a regular occurrence, and for that to happen, we need the public’s cooperation to see even more wildlife thrive in our urban parks."
Officials are asking the public to stay on the marked trails and stay clear of the birds so as not to disturb their nesting.
The last eagle spotting in Chicago was in 2024 when a bald eagle was seen flying through the skies and propped on trees above Horner Park in the Irving Park neighborhood.
The Source: Details for this story were provided by the Chicago Park District.