An osprey banded as a chick in Lemont, Illinois, was discovered injured nearly a year later in Colombia—the South American country, not the city in Missouri—after an extraordinary 2,000-mile journey.
Ospreys, a raptor species known for long-distance migration, typically travel around 1,000 miles between breeding and wintering grounds. This bird’s trek to the Colombian Andes, nearly double that range, is a rare occurrence, experts say.
The discovery provides valuable insight into osprey migration, expanding scientific understanding of their range and adaptability. Once nearly wiped out by DDT, ospreys have made a remarkable recovery, thanks in part to conservation efforts like the Forest Preserve District of Cook County’s osprey banding program, launched in the late 1980s.
By tracking migration patterns and survival rates, the initiative helps researchers monitor the species’ progress. This osprey’s record-breaking journey underscores both the species’ resilience and the ongoing importance of conservation efforts.
“This is the farthest we’ve seen one of our birds fly,” said Mike Buda, a spokesman for the Forest Preserves.
The osprey was banded at Sag Quarries in Lemont near the intersection of Archer Avenue and 135th Street, on June 16, 2023.
And on June 1, 2024, a passerby in Bucaramanga, Colombia, spotted the injured bird and brought it to a local organization for rehabilitation..The group reported the osprey’s band number to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Laboratory, which then notified Cook County’s wildlife team.
“When I heard ‘Colombia,’ I thought they meant Columbia, Missouri,” said senior wildlife biologist Chris Anchor. “When they clarified it was actually Colombia, the country, I was incredulous.”
Details about the Colombian organization’s involvement remain unclear. “We don’t even know who found it or what group helped it recover,” Buda said. Nonetheless, the discovery underscores the importance of conservation efforts.”
The osprey’s migration path remains a mystery.
“Without a GPS transmitter, it’s very difficult to determine what it might have encountered on its trip,” Anchor explained, citing challenges like weather, predators, or human activity.
The Forest Preserves’ Bird Banding Map, which documents similar journeys, contains only a few extraordinary entries. For instance, a rough-legged hawk once traveled 1,000 miles to Quebec. This osprey’s 2,000-mile journey south, however, ranks among the most farthest recorded for a raptor tagged by the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
Today, Anchor’s team monitors 20 nesting platforms and bands 20 to 30 osprey chicks annually as part of a broader effort involving 70 bird species. Their work contributes to an ongoing mission to protect biodiversity and track migratory birds.
“The odds of a banded bird being found alive so far away and having its band reported are astronomically low,” Anchor said.
News of the osprey’s epic flight south brought a wave of excitement to Cook County’s wildlife team.
“Chris and his wildlife team were thrilled by this discovery,” Buda added. “It’s not every day that you get to share a story like this.”