Part of Montrose Beach named after plovers Monty and Rose

The Chicago Park District has voted to name a section of the Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area after Monty and Rose, the beloved pair of plovers whose unlikely love story captured the hearts of Chicagoans.

The lakefront area, now called Monty and Rose Wildlife Habitat, is part of a 3.1-acre expansion of protected land in Lincoln Park. The Park District’s commissioners voted on the name on Wednesday, which coincides with Valentine’s Day.

Monty and Rose did it local celebrity status In 2019, they became the first endangered species to raise a family in Chicago in more than 60 years. The budgies returned to the area every summer to nest, collecting large numbers of birds. enthusiastic followers until Monty’s death In 2022.

“Monty and Rose may one day be counted among the great love stories, but today we celebrate Chicago and Chicagoans’ love affair with nature and conservation,” the Chicago Piping Plovers said in a Facebook post last week.

Monty and Rose’s son, Imani, returned to Montrose in 2022 and 2023, according to the Chicago Bird Alliance. Last year, only about 250 plovers were summering in the Great Lakes region.

The Park District announced the expansion of the Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area in 2021 to support wildlife conservation efforts. Because Illinois has so few protected beaches, the habitat is critical for shorebirds, according to the Park District.

Part of the expansion includes the spot where Monty and Rose meet.

Park District Superintendent and “From one bird love story to another, diverse bird species are reclaiming once-industrialized areas of our beloved city, including the steel mills and landfills and once-polluted riverways on Chicago’s Southeast Side, and making our city parks their homes.” calling.” CEO Rosa Escareño said in a press release.