Illinois Peregrines

 Monitoring our state’s over 20 pairs & territories is definitely a team effort. For instance, it’s the individuals who work in the buildings that the peregrines nest on or people with the office across the street that assists in tracking the falcons. Any questions about peregrines and the Chicago Peregrine Program should be directed to Mary Hennen.  Mary is on staff in the Field Museum's Bird Division.  Click here for more information on the Bird Division.

Illinois' peregrine population has gone from extirpation in the state by 1951, to 1 pair in 1988 to a current level (2011) of 23 territories.  Explore the map below to see where peregrines are and information on their current nesting status. Blue = breeding, Red = Pair ? on breeding, Green = Single Bird or wintering location only.

View Illinois Peregrine Nesting Sites in a larger map

   Monitoring Peregrines

Once a federally endangered species, Peregrine Falcons had all but completely disappeared from the Midwest by the 1960s, due to the use of DDT. But over the last 20 years, Mary and her fellow team members on the Chicago Peregrine Program have helped to successfully reintroduce these beautiful birds back into the Midwest.  They currently monitor nest sites, track parent id as well as watch offspring hatch, mature, and fledge (take their first flight). Through these observations, scientists can determine how well their efforts are working to create a self-sustaining population of Peregrines.  Over 20 years of banding has allowed us to look at the dispersal and longevity of the peregrines found in Illinois and the midwest.

Feel free to explore below about to learn about Peregrine Falcons, their recovery status, and what you can do to help. Be sure to check out the links to our Live Web Cameras that let you peer into a Peregrine nest.

Peregrine Biology
Decline and Recovery
Status and Monitoring
Injured Birds and Emergency Contact Info
Frequently Asked Questions

For more detailed information, please check out the following:

For general peregrine info, video of banding etc. -  Field Museum's Peregrine Expedition
Peregrine Biology and worldwide status information - EOLhttp://www.eol.org/pages/1049164
Stephanie Ware's Chicago Peregrine Photos - Flkr
Midwest Peregrine Society - MPS Website

Web cameras:
* Waukegan -  Midwest Gen
* Evanston - EPL
* Univ of Illinois at Chicago - UIC