Windy City Bird Lab
Chicago Bird Migration Monitoring Network
Since early 2024, Living Habitats has been proud to support the Chicago Bird Migration Monitoring Network as a host site for its migratory bird monitoring equipment. Organized by the Lipshutz Lab at Duke University, the Van Doren Lab of Migration Biology at the University of Illinois, along with a larger team of collaborators coordinated by the Windy City Bird Lab, the Chicago Bird Migration Monitoring Network tracks the movements of migratory birds throughout the Chicago region utilizing a live network of monitoring devices positioned on strategically located rooftops. Numerous organizations utilize the gathered acoustic, thermal imagery, radar, and other data and apply the information to advance scientific understanding while bringing awareness of migratory birds to new audiences.
With three years of data collected, Living Habitats’ monitoring site has documented a significant number and variety of migrating species for the Network. Positioned between the Des Plaines River and North Branch of the Chicago River and their surrounding Forest Preserves of Cook County, data gathered is proving the powerful benefits of these greenways for wildlife as well as people.
The monitoring station uses a program called Nighthawk, a model for the acoustic monitoring of nocturnal bird migration.1 The Windy City Bird Lab routinely visits the office to confirm that the monitoring device is operating properly. They regularly report on the birds identified and tallied across the region and by site, revealing many thousands of birds moving through the region at night during their spring and fall migrations between breeding and wintering grounds.
The top 3 species recorded in 2025 from the Living Habitats rooftop included Swainson’s Thrush, American Redstart, and the Savannah Sparrow. A seasonal live feed of species data is available at the Chicago Bird Migration website linked below and some of their information graphics follow.
Chicago Bird Migration Monitoring Network
Sources:
1 – Chicago Bird Migration Monitoring Network
Location:
Edison Park, Illinois
Date:
2024 – Present
Client:
Windy City Bird Lab
