Virtual Program

As the first Purple Martins arrive back to Chicago in April and May, they’ll begin looking for a suitable home to have their babies. For the Purple Martin couples fortunate enough to score a unit at the South Shore tower, they’ll enjoy a lakefront view while living under the watchful eye of many dedicated volunteers.

In this episode of Birds & Bytes, learn all about Chicago’s lakefront Purple Martins starting with a general overview of the species. Our speaker, Laruen Nassef, will explain how a new Chicago Park District (CPD) colony was established at South Shore Beach and how the site is being supported. She will also share her experience establishing a new tower site in the Field Museum of Natural History's Native Rice Gardens in collaboration with the museum’s Bird Division staff as well as starting a new research project to study Purple Martins across all CPD tower sites.

All are welcome to attend this free event but RSVP is required.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

About our speaker:
Lauren Nassef is a freelance illustrator and a Research Assistant at the Field Museum in the Mammals Division. She volunteers for both the Chicago Park District and Field Museum Purple Martin programs.