Friends’ mission is to protect and restore the Chicago River system for people, water, and wildlife. Wildlife habitat projects strive to benefit all the animals in a community, but some projects also focus on certain species that are at risk due to habitat loss and degradation.

Working with scientists from the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Friends identified bats, osprey, and turtles as river-dependent animals present in the river system whose reproductive success could benefit from our help. As of 2025, Friends has installed six maternity colony structures for bats, five nesting platforms for ospreys, and cleared 130+ acres of nesting habitat for turtles. 

To learn more about bats, ospreys, and turtles (and many others) in the Chicago-Calumet River watershed, visit our pages on ecology and wildlife.

We welcome you to learn more about Friends' wildlife habitat initiatives.

Current Wildlife Monitoring Opportunities

To support our wildlife projects and evaluate their success, Friends has conducted volunteer monitoring programs for our habitat initiatives. We currently have opportunities for volunteers to monitor the osprey nesting poles. If you would like to become an osprey monitor, sign up today to become a Chicago River Eco-Warrior.

The best part is that no experience is needed. Trainings will provide all of the necessary information and expectations for interested volunteers to monitor these animals and their habitats. Groups and families are encouraged (Children under 18 must monitor with an adult).

Volunteers must commit to at least one habitat location and be able to monitor at least twice per month during the breeding season (May to August). Osprey nesting poles are located at:

• Skokie Lagoons
• Erickson Woods
• Chicago Botanic Garden
• Whistler Woods
• Beaubien Woods

We are especially in need of volunteers to monitor Whistler Woods and Beaubien Woods.

Upcoming Trainings for Volunteer Wildlife Monitors:

Training sessions will be scheduled as needed.

Wildlife Monitor Data Sheets

If you are a current Wildlife Monitor, please use the following data sheets to submit your observations:
(These are fillable forms - download them to your device, complete them, save them and email them to Friends at wildlife@chicagoriver.org)

Osprey
Digital Form (preferred method)
Osprey Monitoring Data Sheet (back-up)