Club Atlético Mirikiná
Featuring the owl monkey, this design was created to support and tell the story of The Owl Monkey Project. The Owl Monkey Project is a scientific research project based in Formosa, Argentina started by Dr. Eduardo Fernandez-Duque in 1996. Focusing on the fascinating owl monkeys, the project promotes conservation and scientific research of the fauna and flora of the Chaco region of Argentina. Locally known as Mirikiná, owl monkeys are unique in Central and South America because they are primarily nocturnal and fiercely monogamous. The Owl Monkey Project is run in Argentina by Fundación ECO, which provides educational research experiences to students from around the world with the hope of raising environmental awareness about this region of Argentina. The Chaco ecoregion is one of the most biodiverse areas of the country, and while the owl monkey is undoubtedly its shining star, The Owl Monkey Project conducts research and conservation of many species including bats, capybaras, foxes, orchids, and hundreds of birds.
A portion of sales from all CAM products will go to The Owl Monkey Project in support of their education and conservation efforts.
Midway Atoll Athletic Club
Midway Atoll, part of the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/Battle of Midway National Memorial and larger Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, is a 2.4 square mile island in the Pacific Ocean where 70-year-old Wisdom, the world’s oldest known Laysan Albatross (and one of the oldest known wild birds in the world), has made her home since at least 1956.
Tiny islands like Midway are critical habitats for species who rely on them for safe breeding grounds, including birds like Wisdom who has laid an estimated 30-36 eggs in her lifetime. Unfortunately, island ecosystems are especially vulnerable to invasive plant and animal species. Thanks to the preservation efforts of this important place, Wisdom is able to return to Midway each year to enjoy a giant family reunion with her chicks and “grand” chicks.
A portion of proceeds from all Midway Atoll Athletic Club products will go to support Friends of Midway Atoll and the restoration efforts they support on the island.
Remembering Monty
We were devastated to learn of the passing of Monty, the infamous Piping Plover, at Montrose Beach on May 13. Ball & Feather’s Montrose Beach FC design was inspired by Monty and his partner Rose (who has yet to make an appearance in Chicago this year). This tiny plover had an over-sized impact on the city of Chicago and beyond. Great Lakes Piping Plovers are an endangered species, with only about 70 nesting pairs left in the entire Great Lakes region. Monty and Rose found Montrose Beach, a haven in the middle of the city of Chicago, in 2019 and became the first Piping Plovers to nest in the area in over 60 years.
Monty captured the imagination of so many – including us at Ball & Feather - and helped shine a light on the other living things we share the world with but often-times overlook. He reminded us that the places we humans live and play, no matter how much we’ve altered them over time, are still home to countless other species and that we have a responsibility to share our space and protect them. Let’s honor Monty’s legacy by sharing the shore so that we don’t have to wait another generation for the next Monty and Rose to call Montrose Beach their home.
Ball & Feather would like to give a big shout out to the volunteer monitors who put in countless hours since 2019 keeping Monty and Rose’s nests safe on one of Chicago’s busiest stretches of beach. To keep up with Piping Plover conservation efforts around the region, give these groups a follow: @chicagopipingplovers @ontarioplovers @nycploverproject @bsbobird
Montrose Beach
Football Club. Inspired by two pioneers and a dream of what might have been.
In 2019, a pair of endangered Great Lakes Piping Plovers showed up on one of the busiest stretches of Chicago’s lakefront and successfully fledged chicks, a first for this species in Chicago since 1955. Facing a myriad of challenges, these two birds, dubbed Monty and Rose, have managed to do this every summer since.
In the early 20th century, Chicago was a hotbed for soccer in America, with teams representing many Chicago communities - Pullman FC or Hyde Park Blues, for example.
Most of these have faded from existence, but had things continued on this trajectory, it’s hard to imagine there wouldn’t be a team representing Chicago’s northeast-side, sporting some of the city’s greatest natural treasures over their hearts as they took to the pitch.
The MBFC crest represents the importance of Montrose Beach as a safe-haven for birds (as well as other animals and native plant species) among the hustle and bustle of one of America’s largest cities, and the countless individuals who have volunteered their time to protect this place and the things that call it home. It’s also an homage to Chicago’s rich soccer history and what might have been.
Get involved.
Ensuring the safety of these birds at one of Chicago’s busiest beaches requires the time and dedication of countless volunteers. Interested in being a nest monitor or supporting the organizations who help protect these birds and others in the Chicago-area? Click the link below.
A portion of proceeds from the sale of all Montrose Beach FC products will be donated to organizations working to protect birds and the habitats they need to thrive in the Chicago area.
Chicago Audubon Society
Chicago Ornithological Society
Illinois Ornithological Society