Results of the 2024 Nighthawk Monitoring Season

The Chicago Ornithological Society's Common Nighthawk monitoring program continues to gain momentum, and we’re thrilled to report the success of our third season. Building on the strong foundation set by our first two years, the 2024 season saw significant growth in both participation and data collection, helping us better understand and conserve Chicago’s nighthawk population.

With 38 dedicated volunteers, we expanded our efforts to monitor 129 locations across the region—nearly doubling the number of sites from last year. The results speak for themselves: 49 of these locations had nighthawks present, and our volunteers made 350 site visits, contributing 122 nighthawk detections to the growing dataset. This year’s data brings us one step closer to identifying the key factors that support healthy nighthawk populations in urban environments and refining strategies for their conservation.

Map showing distribution of nighthawk detections in the 2025 monitoring season.

Thanks to the continued commitment of our volunteer community, we are not only tracking the health of this iconic species but also uncovering valuable insights to guide future conservation efforts. As we analyze this year’s data, we’re excited to see what trends emerge and are eager to continue making a difference for Chicago's Common Nighthawks.

To learn more about The Chicago Nighthawk Project and how to support the team, check out our project page.

A huge thank you to the volunteers who donated their time, birding skills, and local knowledge of nighthawk strongholds this season:

Aga Sukiennik, Alaina Harkness, Ryan Wilson, Allison Spangenberg, Andrea Tolzman, Anna Friedman, Bob Andrini, Cathy Haibach, Chris Cochrane, Chris Walsh, David Jennings, Dustin Weidner, Edward Warden, Eric Houghton, Eve Barrs, Grace Palacio, John Sprovieri, Joy Duerr, Julie Long, Julie Sacco, Kate Allgeier, Katie Larson, Kim Kosmatka, Kristin Murphy, Lisa Pool, Marion Miller, Mark Kolasa, Natalie Cordova, Nick Caltagirone, Nicholas Zbasnik, Pam Karlson, Pat Anderson, Pat & Steve Pearson, Peter Tolzmann, Philip Rudolf, Regina McNulty, Robyn Detterline, Ryan Chew, Seth Marcus, Simon Tolzmann, Sophia Twichell, Stephanie Beilke, Stephanie Temple, Sue Schneider, Terri Tomicki, Tess Banklin, Tim Balassie, Tim Klimowski, Tina Sunderland, Tristan Kirvin

Lastly, we’d like to give a very special thank you and fond farewell to Chicago Nighthawk Project co-founder Stephanie Beilke who is stepping down as the project’s co-chair. Her expertise and enthusiasm was critical to ensuring this effort got off the ground and grew from an idea to a full blown citizen science initiative.