The Henslow's sparrow has been
spotted at the Deer Grove Forest Preserve in Palatine for the first time since
1993.
Although the Henslow's sparrow is
small in size, conservationists say its return to Deer Grove Forest Preserve in
Palatine after a 15-year absence is a big sign that longtime restoration work
is paying off.
Palatine birder Heidi Tarasiuk
spotted and photographed the roughly 5-inch sparrow during its nesting season
early this month at Deer Grove, the state's first dedicated forest preserve.
Linda Masters, a restoration specialist for the Openlands conservation
organization, said the Bird Conservation Network confirmed Tarasiuk captured an
image of the Henslow's sparrow.
"When I saw the Henslow
here, I thought, 'Wow, this is a big deal,'" Tarasiuk said during a recent
walk through Deer Grove East, where the sparrow's "hiccup" sound
could be heard not far from an egret and sandhill cranes.
Officials at Chicago-based
Openlands say the Henslow's sparrow is an indicator species for the health of
natural areas, so its first appearance at Deer Grove since 2003 represents a
milestone for the organization's work managing the preserve's continuing
restoration. Openlands began the task in partnership with Forest Preserves of
Cook County in 2008.
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