Researchers first identified such contamination in catfish that inhabited the Tennessee River in 1979. Sign up for the Morning Report newsletterįish consumption has long been identified as a route of exposure to PFAS, according to the study. 'It's excellent and that gives more chances for Imani to find a mate.'ĭistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The latest in politics and policy. 'What's really hopeful is that piping plovers are coming through and landing at Montrose,' said Itani. Will Imani's passion for his territory be matched by his interest in mating? Will the female stay around? And what about the unbanded male? After a winter in an unknown southern location, he returned to Montrose Tuesday, to much fanfare.

Last summer, the jaunty little shorebird, who is about 1½ years old, spent six lonely weeks at Montrose Beach, presumably hoping to find a mate. With Monty deceased and Rose missing, Imani has taken center stage. Their love story landed them on T-shirts, posters and beer cans, and in two documentary films. Monty and Rose sparked high hopes in 2019, when they became the first pair to successfully nest in Chicago in decades. The birds winter as far south as Florida, Texas and the Bahamas. Imani's romantic ups and downs are of broad interest because Great Lakes piping plovers are federally endangered, with only about 250 summering in the region. Itani said the physical attributes of one of the unbanded birds points to her being female, but a piping plover's sex is usually not 100% certain until he or she courts and mates. 'I don't think he understands the concept yet.' 'Unfortunately, Imani's chasing both of them away, so I don't know,' Itani said, laughing. Now, it's Imani's turn, and the early results are, well, mixed. Monty and his rival faced off in a nonviolent contest that includes chest-puffing and walking lines to mark territory, and the rest was history. When Monty and Rose arrived at Montrose Beach in 2019, there was a second male. The situation mirrors the love story of Imani's famous parents, according to Tamima Itani, lead volunteer coordinator for Chicago Piping Plovers. The photo was dated April 27 and the post read, 'BREAKING: Unbanded female Piping Plover joins Imani and unbanded male on Montrose Beach.' In a post Thursday morning, the Chicago Piping Plovers Twitter account showed a photo of a comely bird with the classic white face, black headband and ebony collar. But in a dramatic twist, our plucky hero has also been joined by a male.

Favorite Son by Will Freshwater