Another piping plover chick at Chicago's Montrose Beach dies

Another piping plover chick that recently hatched at Chicago's Montrose Beach has died, the Chicago Piping Plovers conservation organization announced.

The group announced Sunday night that the piping plover chick named Tweedy, banded with a green star, had died. The chick was one of four that hatched recently.

Another of the four chicks, named Mavis and banded with a yellow star, died last week.

"Weather conditions have been challenging this season, requiring beach evacuations including one this Saturday, and may have played a role," Chicago Piping Plovers said.

The four piping plover chicks were named after Chicago music legends. Tweedy was named for Jeff Tweedy, a native of downstate Belleville, who played with alt country band Uncle Tupelo and later became the lead guitarist and founder of renowned indie band Wilco

Mavis was named for Mavis Staples, first known as a member of the legendary Staple Singers, and later as a solo artist — taking the message of Civil Rights and honoring it in her music.

The surviving piping plover chicks are named Buddy and Frankie, named for blues legend Buddy Guy and late house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles.

The chicks are the offspring of parents piping plovers Sea Rocket and Imani.

Piping plovers have frequently nested at Montrose Beach since 2019.

Monty and Rose — named after the beach that is in turn named after the east-west street of which it serves at the mouth — were the first to nest at Montrose Beach in 71 years when they appeared in 2019.

Monty and Rose were Imani's parents. Sea Rocket was a captive-reared chick that was released in Chicago in 2023 along with two other plovers, Wild Indigo and Prickly Pear.