The author was delighted when the wood-chomping rodents surfaced at the harbor. Then one turned up dead.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Thousands of birds are making a crucial migration through the Chicago area. We are right in the middle of a peak migration season, and homeowners are being urged to take steps to protect those birds

The Great Lakes region plays a vital role in bird migration, lying at the intersection of two migratory flyways, with around 350 species passing through each spring like songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, marsh birds and shorebirds.

2024 Biota Awardee Benjamin Van Doren’s research on migratory birds has been featured in the Chicago Park District’s annual report.

Communication is key to survival in the animal kingdom. From alarm calls to mating signals, animals rely on vocalizations and body language to interact with one another. But can they learn and interpret the communication of entirely different species?

While Groundhog Day remains a fun tradition, meteorologists rely on data and computer models for more accurate forecasts. This year, the National Weather Service said it’s a toss-up whether Illinois will see an early spring.

New research shows songbird migration may be driven by more than innate patterns and memory. Recorded flight calls reveal probable social associations between species making the nighttime trek.

Loyola University Chicago shares more about faculty member Yoel E. Stuart’s receipt of a Biota Award in 2023.

Evanston Roundtable features Liza Lehrer and Lincoln Park Zoo’s bat monitoring project.

Van Doren Lab of Migration Biology has received a $300,000 grant from the Walder Foundation in support of research on bird migration through Chicago.

University of Illinois Chicago’s Gabriela Nuñez-Mir receives award to fund invasive plant research.

Invasive plants can dramatically change an ecosystem, outcompeting native species and harming animal life, agriculture and human health. Now, a new study led by University of Illinois Chicago researcher Gabriela Nunez-Mir finds that these negative effects reach underground, too. 

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Centennial Bridge will be a little darker than usual on Thursday night.

CHICAGO, IL – May 7, 2024–Today, the Walder Foundation announced five 2024 Biota Award recipients. Now in its third year, the Biota Awards continue to advance early-career researchers who are working to understand, protect, and restore the unique and diverse ecosystems in Chicago and around the world.

Philanthropy News Digest covers the Walder Foundation’s announcement of its 2024 Biota Awardees, recognizing pioneering biodiversity research.