Successful Bald Eagle Hatchling in Chicago After Century

Two bald eagle hatchlings have been observed in a Chicago park, marking the first known successful wild breeding of these raptors in the city in over 100 years. The Chicago Park District announced that bird-watchers began noting nesting activity in February at Park 597, located along the Calumet River on Chicago’s Southeast Side. The first eaglet was seen on April 28, with a second one confirmed on May 7. According to park district spokesperson Irene Tostado, the eaglets seem to be two to three weeks old.

The discovery was made by Pat Pearson and her husband, Steve, who expressed their emotional reaction to seeing the eaglets. “We started looking around, and lo and behold, this little fuzzy head sticks up with a big beak and we were just ecstatic. Patty actually broke into tears. I started crying,” Steve Pearson stated, emphasizing the significance of the sighting.

In the latter half of the 20th century, bald eagle populations suffered due to habitat loss and insecticide contamination. However, the species has seen a remarkable recovery over the last four decades and was removed from the federal endangered species list in 2007. Although bald eagles are no longer rare in Chicago, with sightings of a dozen in Big Marsh Park in one day in 2018, the Park 597 hatchlings are unique. Stephen Bell, who oversees Park 597, noted there is no record of a previous successful eaglet hatching in Chicago for more than a century.

Park 597, a former city water treatment plant site, came under the management of the park district in 2019. Efforts to restore the natural habitat included soil improvements, upgraded vegetation, and enhanced environments for amphibians and reptiles. These efforts have successfully attracted a diverse range of wildlife, including muskrats, mice, deer, and eagles.

“Give Mother Nature a chance and you’d be surprised what she can do with just a little bit of help from like the park district and the city of Chicago,” said Pat Pearson. “Neither one of the organizations could have done it themselves, but between the two of them, it’s shocking what can happen to land in areas that you think are just absolutely unredeemable.”

The contribution of these efforts highlights how collaboration and habitat restoration can yield unexpected and positive environmental outcomes.