Birdwatcher, ornithologist @FieldMuseum ecologist working in So. America and Chicago region. Dedicated to conservation of ecosystems & species.

Chicago area
Joined July 2013
Story about a gynandromorph (half male/half femaleplumage) Bobolink at a Chicago area prairie this summer. It acted as a male, holding a territory, attracting a mate, and successfully producing young. news.wttw.com/2026/08/05/wic…
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Tucson, Arizona changed the color of 20,000 streetlights, cut light pollution by 7%, prevented countless wildlife deaths, and saved taxpayers a boatload of money. Most cities retrofitting streetlights to LED chose cool-white bulbs in the 4,000K range because they're bright and cheap. Cool-white light scatters upward and sideways at higher rates than the old sodium lamps, which is why light pollution has actually increased in many cities that switched to LED. Hundreds of millions of migrating songbirds navigate by stars and get pulled off course by that scatter every year, many of them fatally. Tucson chose warm-white 3,000K LEDs instead, added full shielding so the light points down rather than up or sideways, and programmed adaptive dimming: 90% brightness from sunset to midnight, 60% after that until dawn. It was a win for wildlife and taxpayers: the whole thing costs less to run than what it replaced. Philadelphia, LA, and Phoenix have all run LED retrofits that made skyglow worse. The technology to do it right exists and isn't expensive. It's a procurement decision, which means it's a political one. And political decisions are ones you can influence. Your city council chose your streetlights. Most of them have never been asked about color temperature, shielding, or dimming schedules, not because those things don't matter, but because most people don't know to ask. The night sky is habitat. The darkness migrating birds need to navigate is habitat. We've been treating it as a waste product of lighting decisions made by people who weren't thinking about birds. Ask your council what color temperature your streetlights are. Most of them won't know the answer.
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Great news. 🌿 A major scientific review of 111 studies found that Indigenous stewardship consistently delivers strong conservation outcomes, often matching or outperforming state-run protected areas. Guardians. IPCAs. Cultural fire. Indigenous governance. These aren't theories. They're proven solutions already working. 🪶 Read the @TheTyee 's article here: thetyee.ca/News/2026/05/19/W…
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Douglas Stotz retweeted
Doctors are saying you have to see at least one bird a day or something really bad will happen. They are saying this.
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Nice story by @pattywetli on 2 Snowy Owls dazzling birders and non-birders alike all week on pier at Chicago's Montrose Beach. I saw them yesterday with 75 of my closest friends. People have been well-behaved for the most part. news.wttw.com/2025/11/21/sno…
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Changes in lighting & putting a film with a pattern of little dots on windows at McCormick Place in Chicago reduced bird mortality from window collisions by more than 95% this fall. Huge victory at previously very dangerous building. This should be emulated at other buildings.
How window dots at McCormick Place are saving birds: buff.ly/3C47IoP
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Led a field trip today for @IllinoisAudubon to Dixon Waterfowl Refuge @WetlandsTWI . 65 bird species including 13 ducks. No. Pintail most common with 1500. Am. Black Duck and Blue-winged Teal most interesting. Best birds were 8 Eurasian Tree Sparrows and a Peregrine Falcon
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This along with changes to the lighting regime at McCormick Place has the potential to be a huge game-changer. In the first month of fall migration, the number of birds dying at McCormick has been reduced by more than 90% from last fall. Thank you, McCormick for taking action.
At @McCormick_Place we are deeply committed to environmental stewardship. Our latest initiative has been the installation of bird-safe window film across two football fields’ worth of windows at our Lakeside Center, completed in August. Learn more: mccormickplace.com/birds/
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Sunday night birds were gifted helpful winds. Millions took to the wing, eager to begin their long journey home. Unfortunately, Chicago stood in their way. We rescued 80+ injured and salvaged 160+ dead birds Monday morning. It doesn't have to be this way. @ChicagosMayor
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September 1, 2024 marks the 110th anniversary of Martha’s death, the day on which the most abundant bird in North America and the world. Author Joel Greenberg, of "A Feathered River across the Sky: The Passenger Flight To Extinction". #BirdCallsRadio birdcallsradio.com/episode-0…
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It doesn't seem like fall to us, but it does to the birds. In less than two weeks, we have found over 100 injured and over 150 dead birds in downtown Chicago. Wednesday was a particularly difficult day, with 70 rescues and over 100 dead birds.
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Had our first yard cicada yesterday. But many more have come out in the last 24 hours. It has begun.
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BREAKING: Imani is back at Montrose!!! 📸: Matthew Dolkart
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Female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. She started in Central America, Mexico, or the Caribbean, made it all the way to Chicago, and was needlessly killed by a Chicago window. The 4 to 6 babies she was to have will never be born.
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Wasn't really thinking about swifts the way you are, but saw my 1st of spring just now over my house And you're right, it makes me happy.
Just thinking about how Chimney Swifts will be back soon makes me so happy!
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Today's Chicago bird of the day is the Burrowing Owl. Way off track its normal range, last seen in Chicago in 2012.
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