When Tarik Shahzad spotted two patches of white among the sea of gray sandhill cranes, he knew he’d done it again.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, the 28-year-old avid birder saw two whooping cranes — one of the rarest birds in North America and his 295th bird species of 2025. Seen flying over Wood Oaks Green Park in suburban Northbrook, the cranes helped Shahzad secure the top spot in the Cook County Birding Big Year competition, breaking his own record of 294 species last year. The Norwood Park resident spotted one more bird, a western grebe, before the end of the year, officially setting the Cook County record at 296 bird species.

But for Shahzad, participating in the Cook County Birding Big Year is about far more than breaking records. The competition highlights the importance of conservation and habitat restoration, said Shahzad, an environmental policy advocate and associate with the Nature Conservancy.

Host - Jon Hansen

Guest - Tarik Shahzad

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