>>> THERE IS A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN CHICAGO'S BIRD WORLD AND THIS IS I MANNY, LOAN PIPING CLOVER AT MONTROSE BEACH, THAT IS UNTIL TODAY.

THREE WERE RELEASED HOURS AGO AT A PROTECTIVE SITE ON MONTROSE.

THAT IS THE FIRST TIME PIPING CLOVERS WERE RELEASED IN CHICAGO.

WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT.

COULD IMANI GET HIS SUMMER ROMANCE?

WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING HIM SINCE HIS PARENTS WERE THE FIRST SPECIES TO NEST IN CHICAGO IN FIVE DECADES BACK IN 2019.

JOINING US WITH MORE ON THE NEWS REPORT IS A FISH AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST WITH THE U.S.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE WHO RELEASED TODAY'S CHICKS INTO THE WILD AT MONTROSE.

ARMAN, HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THIS FOR THE THREE CLOVER CHICKS AT MONTROSE BEACH?

>> HISTORICALLY, IT IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE.

THIS IS A POPULATION THAT WAS LISTED IN 186 WITH 13 PAIRS.

NOW WOE ARE UP TO 80.

WE HAVE BEEN STARTING A RECOVERY EFFORT FOR THE LAST FEW DECADES.

MANY OF THE CHICKS RELEASED HAVE ONLY BEEN IN MICHIGAN.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE RELEASING THEM OUTSIDE OF MICHIGAN, AND ALSO THE FIRST TIME INTO ILLINOIS.

>> THERE THEY ARE GETTING USED TO THEIR NEW DIGS AT MONTROSE BEACH, REALLY CUTE.

AND IMANI IS THE SOP ON OF MONTY AND ROSE, THE FAMOUS COUPLE.

AND HE RETURNED ON HIS OWN?

>> YES, ON HIS OWN VOLUTION.

WE CAN'T BE SURE WHY THEY RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR BUT THEY DO.

IT IS AN AMAZING FEAT.

>> THE HOME OF HIS PARENTS, MONTY AND ROSE, NAMED AFTER MONTROSE BEACH.

HE HAS BEEN ALONE AND KIND OF LONESOME OUT THERE.

NOW HE HAS THREE LITTLE CHICKS, ARE ANY OF THEM FEMALE THAT HE COULD MATE WITH?

>> OH, MAN, I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT SOME OF THE CHICKS ARE FEMALE.

TRUTH IS, WE DON'T KNOW THE SEX, THEY ARE TOO YOUNG.

WE WILL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO TELL WHEN THEY RETURN NEXT YEAR.

>> I KNOW BIRD WATCHERS WILL GO OUT AND SEE IF THE MATING DANCE HAPPENS.

THEY HAVE A REALLY CLEVER MATING DANCE THAT WE SAW MONTY AND ROSE DO A FEW YEARS AGO.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE SPECIES RECOVERY?

IT WAS DOWN TO ONLY ABOUT 13 PAIRS?

AND NOW BECAUSE OF PRESERVATION, IT IS AROUND 80?

>> YES.

>> AND ALL OVER THE GREAT LAKES?

>> YES, ALL OVER THE LAKES, UP TO 80.

WE WERE AROUND 74 PAIRS LAST YEAR.

THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE FROM ONE YOUR TO THE NEXT SINCE WE WERE WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS IS SIGNIFICANT.

AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS TO RELEASE IN THESE AREAS IS PRETTY BIG TESTAMENT TO THE STATUS OF THE RECOVERY OF THE SPECIES.

>> AND YOU ARE HOPING ONE OF THESE IS A FEMALE THAT AMANI COULD MATE WITH BECAUSE IT IS CHALLENGING.

HE HAS BEEN ALONE BUT THE MIGRATION PATTERNS MAKE IT DIFFICULT.

YEAH, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE ALL OF THE FEMALES ARE BYPASSING ILLINOIS FOR WHATEVER REASON.

IT REALLY IS A SHAME BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A SPECIES WITH SUCH SMALL NUMBERS, THE GENDER DIFFERENTIATETION FROM PLACE TO PLACE CAN BE VERY SKEW.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE TRYING TO RECOVER.

>> LAST QUESTION, WHY DO YOU THINK MONTY AND ROSE, AND AND THE MROEFBERS HAVE CAPTURED CHICAGO'S ATTENTION?

>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

PROBABLY ONE THAT DESERVES ITS OWN NOVEL.

>> IT HAD ITS OWN MOVIE.

THERE IS THE MATING DANCE THAT MONTY IS DOING TO COURT ROSE.

IS THAT WHAT THAT IS?

>> YES, THE MALE IS LIFTING HIS LEG AND THE FEMALE IS DIPPING DOWN BECAUSE SHE IS INTERESTED.

>> AND UNFORTUNATELY, MONTY AND ROSE ARE GONE, WE BELIEVE THEY HAVE DIED.

BUT AMANI IS THE NEXT GENERATION.

SO HOW COME YOU ARE FASCINATED WITH THEM?

>> I LOVE BIRDS.

THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY LIVING DINOSAURS.

THEY CAN GO EVERYWHERE.

IT IS INCREDIBLE AND WE HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THE NAVIGATION.

THEY ARE BORN IN ONE PLACE AND FLY SOUTH ALL THE WAY TO THE GULF COAST AND WITHOUT HAVING ANY DIRECTION AND THEN FINDING THEIR WAY BACK, THAT'S FASCINATING.

THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR MANY MILLIONS OF YEARS.

>> THAT IS FASCINATING.

IN MY NEXT LIFE I WANT TO COME BACK