News of the Wild

Hampshire Board Decides Against Swainson’s Hawks

One of our endangered species may be chased out of the state by unwise development. Only five pairs of Swainson’s hawks are known to nest east of the Mississippi — all in Kane and McHenry Counties. These birds, which need extensive savanna-like areas for nesting and finding food, find perfect habitat in the lovely bur oak groves amid horse farms, hay meadows, and other agricultural grasslands. Population declines throughout its range earned this hawk Watch List status from the national group Partners in Flight.

In Kane County, over the protest of hundreds of citizens, the Hampshire Village Board recently voted to annex unincorporated lands for three developments totaling almost 2,500 acres. This move would eliminate critical foraging areas for at least two pairs of the hawks. Though the plan would protect 80 acres as open space near one pair’s nest tree, an opinion issued by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) showed that the project will likely adversely impact the foraging area needed by the hawks.

The citizens’ group fighting the development, Citizens After Responsible Expansion, is still trying to stop the project, but see their time running out. A key leader, Frances St. George, recently lost her battle with cancer — her wake was held on the day the board approved the annexation. “That was a horrible day for us,” said Barbara Burton, another group leader. “We’re very proud of ourselves — we gave 1000 percent. But the developers were able to get the board in their corner.” The group brought the issue to the public, which voted out three village board members in the last election — but the annexation was decided before the new members were sworn in.

Also this spring, Anita and Bob Morgan, who monitor the Swainson’s hawk nests, made a startling discovery — a zoning change sign underneath a McHenry County nest. They shifted immediately into high gear, engaging the help of conservation groups and the IDNR. Following the IDNR’s recommendation that the county deny the zoning request, the petitioner withdrew it.

This area, like nearby Hampshire, is being threatened by the expanding metropolitan area. Although counties have excellent plans for open space development, the power rests with the villages, which may choose to ignore those plans as Hampshire did. Swainson’s hawks need access to hundreds of acres of grassland — and conservationists are encouraging their neighbors to take a “hawk’s-eye view” of development planning.

— Judy Pollock

Related Article:

Citizens, Conservationists Rally to Save Swainson’s Hawk, News of the Wild, Winter 2004

Can Hawks Save Farms? CW, Spring 2004