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About

Community-led science supporting environmental technology, civic engagement, education, and the conservation of birds. Creators of the Grosbeak Horn Microphone, and the Bird Migration Network.

Mission

The mission of the Windy City Bird Lab is raise awareness of Chicagoland’s bird population and make environmental science more accessible through project-based community learning opportunities while providing technological support to local research and conservation efforts.

Vision

We envision a city where all residents are informed about local bird populations and understand how to support them—facilitated by a hub for individuals, from students to professionals in technology and environmental fields, to develop new tools and methodologies for environmental education, innovation, research, & conservation.

Projects

  • Chicagoland Bird Migration Monitoring Network
    A growing network of Nocturnal Flight Call (NFC) recorders, launched in 2023 with foundational support from Cornell and Openlands. Now spanning 45 stations in collaboration with the University of Illinois, this project tracks migratory bird movement in across the Chicagoland region including the roof of the Willis “Sears” Tower.

  • Birds of the Windy City
    An accessible digital tool in development to make local bird sightings easy to explore. This dashboard helps newcomers and seasoned birders alike discover nearby species, microhabitats, and conservation opportunities.

  • Grosbeak Horn Microphone
    A specialized bioacoustic microphone aimed at making bioacoustic research more accessible and reliable across diverse environments.

  • Chicago Night Heron Decoys
    In collaboration with the Chicago Black-crowned Night Heron Project, Lincoln Park Zoo, and the University of Illinois, we designed and developed a decoy to encourage conspecific attraction and support nesting of this state-endangered species.

  • Urban Birding Festival: We helped organize this event, including designing the festival logo, to celebrate Chicago’s status as a top birding destination.

  • Illinois Christmas Bird Count: Serving as the state editor, we help coordinate North America’s longest-running citizen science project.

People

Leadership

  • J'orge Garcia - Founder & Director of the Windy City Bird Lab

Affiliate Members

  • Sara Lipshutz - Duke University
  • Benjamin M. Van Doren - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Madison Chudzik - Duke University
  • Shu-Yueh "Winnie" Liao - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Alice Hargrave - Resident Artist
  • Maddie Fernandez - Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
  • Sammy Cabindol - Forest Preserves of Cook County
  • Amy Lardner - Chicago Black-crowned Night Heron Project
  • Erick Masias - Bird Joy Ambassador
  • Jacob Drucker – Postdoc
  • Grace Whitten – Field Biologist
  • Rafael Rueda-Hernández - Aveoptica
  • Peter Zieba - Pumping Station One
  • Tommy Stanton - Resident Artist

Partners

  • Jo Fessett, Matt Hayes, and Nathan Goldberg
    • Illinois Audubon Society (Fiscal Sponsor)

Long-Term Goals

  • Cultivate a Community of Practice: Support bird conservation through open-source technologies, maker education, and ongoing community engagement.
  • Establish an Environmental Technology Center: Create a dedicated space in Chicago for research, innovation, and the design of new tools that aid local and regional conservation efforts.
  • Expand Bird Awareness Campaigns: Develop educational materials and outreach programs that highlight the importance of bird populations, ultimately extending to broader regions across Illinois and the Chicago Wilderness Area.

Fiscal Sponsor

Illinois Audubon Society
All donations are processed through the Illinois Audubon Society, making your contributions fully tax-deductible. The Windy City Bird Lab operates under a Model B Fiscal Sponsorship agreement with the Illinois Audubon Society.

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