Piping plover Ferris killed by hawk, volunteer group says

Ferris, one of three piping plover chicks at Chicago's Montrose Beach, was killed by a predator, a Red-tailed hawk, on Saturday afternoon, volunteer group Chicago Piping Plovers said.

"Together, we mourn the tragic passing of Ferris. Our little plover had a full six weeks at Montrose, especially loving the pier inlet," the group posted on X.

The group also posted that Ferris' siblings — Bean and El —- were observed flying south over Lake Michigan and had not returned to Montrose as of Saturday evening.

The 6-week-olds were said to be healthy and getting ready for their southward journey, according to Tamima Itani, the lead volunteer coordinator with Chicago Piping Plovers, who spoke to the Sun-Times on Friday.

The three chicks were born June 20 to parents Imani and Searocket. The chicks were named by Chicagoans in a contest in July held by the Chicago Bird Alliance.

Ferris was named for the world's first Ferris wheel, which was built for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. The name is also a nod to the Chicago-based 1986 John Hughes film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

At the time, Chicago Piping Plovers said the name "Ferris" was a good fit for the bird, who had begun exploring the beach far and wide.

Montrose Beach has been a haven for endangered Great Lakes piping plovers since 2019 when a plover pair — Monty and Rose nested there.

It marked the first time since 1955 that the birds were spotted in Chicago after habitat deterioration, predators and nest disturbances threatened the habitat of the birds, pushing them out of state and into endangerment.