Four Great Lakes piping plovers have hatched at Montrose Beach in Chicago. The Chicago Piping Plovers group announced the chicks had hatched, sharing a photo of an eggshell at the beach. The chicks are the offspring of Sea Rocket and Imani.

The plovers have proven enormously popular across several generations at Montrose. However, birding groups have repeatedly warned that observers should keep their distance and make sure to pick up their trash to ensure the birds can stay safe.

For now, the unnamed chicks will stay close to their parents, who will brood them for warmth, though they will be able to feed themselves and move around, according to the Chicago Piping Plovers group.

Imani is the son of the piping plover couple Monty and Rose, who became Chicago celebrities when they began nesting at Montrose Beach in 2019. Monty died at Montrose Beach from a respiratory infection in 2022, while Rose’s whereabouts are unknown.

Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.