Chicago Black-crowned Night Heron Project

We are a volunteer-driven outreach project connecting people with the Black-crowned Night Herons that nest each spring at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.

Our work focuses on public education, seasonal outreach, and supporting conservation efforts for this Illinois-endangered species.

Outreach & Public Engagement

Our outreach program runs from April through July, when volunteers are stationed outside the rookery along Stockton Drive between Webster and Dickens, helping visitors learn about the herons, the nesting season, and ongoing conservation work.

We also engage the public through field trips, community collaborations, pop-up events, and birding programs across Chicago.

Research and Conservation

We collaborate with organizations involved in the research and conservation of Black-crowned Night Herons, including:

Illinois Department of Natural Resources
University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign
Lincoln Park Zoo
Illinois Audubon Society
Bird Conservation Network
Windy City Bird Lab

Recent GPS tracking research (2025) is revealing how these herons move across Chicago and beyond, providing new insight that informs conservation planning and helps identify potential future nesting sites.

Publication link

This work supports wetland restoration and habitat protection for Black-crowned Night Herons across Illinois.

Sarah Slayton (UI-UC) with the first of the 17 GPS‑tagged adult night herons, 2023–2024. Photo by Henry Adams (Copy) (Copy)

Windy City Bird Lab’s Jorge Garcia applying sealant to the decoys he designed for heron conservation, after painting by volunteers in collaboration with this project. Photo by Amy Lardner (Copy (Copy)

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Endangered Species Recovery Specialist Brad Semel paddling out to set up decoys and call boxes at Chicago’s Big Marsh Park. Photo by Amy Lardner (Copy) (Copy)

Lincoln Park Zoo Urban Wildlife Ecologist Henry Adams installing decoys at Big Marsh Park, inviting night herons to reconsider this former nesting site. Photo by Sarah Slayton (Copy) (Copy)

Field Sites & Conservation Efforts

Researchers are also identifying and testing potential nesting sites using habitat data, decoys, and audio playback. Current sites include Big Marsh Park (Chicago), Almond Marsh (Lake County), and Spring Lake (Tazewell County).

In The News

WGN: Hundreds of black-crowned night herons nesting right about Lincoln Park Zoo
WTTW: Endangered Black-Crowned Night Herons Are Thriving in Chicago. Researchers Want to Know Why
Illinois Audubon Society: Conservation project tracks behavior, migration of Chicago’s endangered heron
Outdoor Illinois Journal - Illinois Department of Natural Resources: Chicago’s Urban Heron Story: A Natural Marvel in the Heart of the City; A Hope for the Future?
Tracking the Endangered Black-crowned Night Heron
National Geographic: A Chicago Museum disrupted an endangered bird's habitat
Chicago Tribune: The case of the black-crowned night herons: Abandoned nests reveal gaps in the state’s ability to protect endangered species