Chicago Celebrates First Bald Eagle Eaglets in Over a Century, Marking Conservation Success
Chicago has recently witnessed the hatching of Bald Eagle eaglets within its city limits for the first time in over 100 years. Two nests were identified: one in Park No. 597 in the Southeast Side region and another in Oak Woods Cemetery in the Greater Grand Crossing area. From these two nests, three Bald Eagles have successfully fledged. This event is a significant milestone, as the entire state of Illinois has historically had relatively few eagle nests and eaglets. Public records, primarily from the Chicago Tribune, indicate a sparse history of eagle nesting in the state, with early reports in Piatt County in 1915 and along the Illinois River in the 1930s. By 1992, a record 17 Bald Eagle nests were observed statewide, producing 16 fledglings, a substantial increase from just two in 1987. In 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) reported 13 nests in the seven-county metropolitan area, with five active. By 2022, this number grew to 35 nests in the six counties surrounding Chicago, and in 2024, e...
