what birds are native to illinois

Full Answer

What is the most popular bird in Illinois?

Northern CardinalThe most common bird in Illinois: the most frequently seen bird in the state is a tie: American Robin and Northern Cardinal. These two species are reported on 49% of bird watching lists. The official State Bird of Illinois is Northern Cardinal.

What kinds of birds live in Illinois?

29 Most Common Backyard Birds In Illinois.Northern Cardinal. Northern Cardinals are frequently spotted in Illinois and are residents of the state all year. ... American Robin. ... Dark-eyed Junco. ... Mourning Dove. ... Song Sparrow. ... American Goldfinch. ... Red-winged Blackbird.More items...

What is the biggest bird in Illinois?

golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos The golden eagle is the largest bird of prey in North America (30-40 inches long; wingspan 73-87 inches). It occasionally winters around large rivers and lakes in Illinois, feeding mainly on small mammals, birds and fishes.

What are the big black birds in Illinois?

The red-winged blackbird is a common migrant and summer resident in Illinois. It is a common winter resident in southern and central Illinois. This species lives in marshes, swamps, ditches, cultivated land or hayfields. It feeds on insects and seeds.

Are there wild parrots in Illinois?

The squat, bright-green birds aren't native to Illinois, or even the United States. The U.S. originally had two native parrot species: the Carolina parakeet and the thick-billed parrot.

Are there peacocks in Illinois?

Though some warm-climate states such as California and Florida have wild populations of the birds, free-roaming peacocks are not common in northern climates. If one is spotted in the Chicago area, it is usually a pet that escaped or was abandoned.

What kind of big cats are in Illinois?

The American bobcat (Lynx rufus), which is the only native wild cat in Illinois, was once listed as a threatened species. It was first protected in 1972, but the designation was removed in 1999.

What is the apex predator in Illinois?

What kind of predators live in Illinois? Predators found in Illinois include cougars, bobcats, foxes, coyotes and black bears and different species of fish including the muskellunge, which is the apex predator wherever it lives in the state.

Are there wild cougars in Illinois?

Cougars were eliminated from Illinois before 1870 due to habitat loss and hunting pressure. In the last several years there have been confirmed sightings of individual cougars moving through the state. There is no evidence that resident breeding populations of cougars exist in Illinois at this time.

What is the biggest predator in Illinois?

The coyote, if you didn't already know, is the largest predator in Illinois, according to the University of Illinois Extension. And what's more, the coyote population in Illinois has increased dramatically in the last 30 years.

Is a grackle the same as a crow?

For starters, grackles and crows are not part of the same family and aren't even related. Grackles are icterids and belong to the family Icteridae, whereas crows are corvids and belong to the family Corvidae. Grackles are related to blackbirds, cowbirds, and larks, and crows are related to ravens, magpies, and jays.

What is the largest owl in Illinois?

Great horned owlsGreat horned owls are the largest and most fearsome of the owls found in Illinois. They are powerful hunters that will eat almost anything, from insects and birds to squirrels and skunks.

What birds are invasive to Illinois?

The two most concerning invasive birds in Illinois are house sparrows and European starlings. Both are aggressive and can harm local bird populations by stealing food, nesting spaces, and compete for other resources. Starlings are also a big problem for people as well as they can cause expensive damage to farm crops.

Does Illinois have crows or ravens?

The American crow is a common, statewide, permanent resident of Illinois. Some crows do migrate, and those that migrate start spring migration in February or March.

Does Illinois have Lynx?

The American bobcat (Lynx rufus), which is the only native wild cat in Illinois, was once listed as a threatened species. It was first protected in 1972, but the designation was removed in 1999.

How do I identify a bird?

The clues to identifying any bird are basically the same: shape, size, coloring, unique field marks (wing bars, white outer tail feathers, eye lines), behavior, habitat, voice and geographic location. For backyard birds, start by comparing the visitor to an American robin, which nearly everyone knows.

What are the birds of Illinois?

List of birds of Illinois. The northern cardinal is the state bird of Illinois. This list of birds of Illinois includes species documented in the U.S. state of Illinois and accepted by the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC). As of March 2020, there are 450 species and two species pairs included in the official list.

How many species of sandpipers are there in Illinois?

Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. Thirty-six species have been recorded in Illinois. Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda. Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus.

How many tail feathers does a finch have?

Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. Eleven species have been recorded in Illinois.

What is the family of ducks?

The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. Forty-five species have been recorded in Illinois.

What is the family of birds that consists of pheasants?

Phasianidae is a family of birds which consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump, with broad, relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. Six species have been recorded in Illinois.

What bird has a short neck and short slender bill?

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. Eight species have been recorded in Illinois.

What is a grebe bird?

Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. Six species have been recorded in Illinois.

What is endangered species in Illinois?

These are: Endangered = Species whose breeding populations are in danger of extirpation within Illinois; listed as endangered by the IDNR. Threatened = Species whose breeding populations are at risk of becoming endangered within Illinois; listed as threatened by the IDNR.

When did turkeys become extinct in Illinois?

3 The native Wild Turkey population in Illinois was extirpated in the early 1900’s. Turkeys were first reintroduced in the Shawnee Forest in 1959 from out-of-state stock. Once established there, Illinois birds have been and continue to be introduced to unpopulated locations throughout the state.

What does "extinct" mean in Illinois?

Extinct = Species which have occurred in the state but no longer exist. Breeding Information. For species that have bred in Illinois, an additional notation appears in the entry, following a slash (“/”).

Where are African Collared Doves found?

In addition, a population of African Collared-Doves ( Streptopelia roseogrisea) has been present in the Joliet area since at least 19xx and dispersers from this population or other escapes have been recorded in most counties of northeastern Illinois.

Is a jaeger a regular species?

8 The status of the three species of jaegers in Illinois remains unclear, reflecting the paucity of accepted documentations, although the genus as a whole is certainly Regular. Historically, Parasitic has been thought to be by far the most frequent species, but recent evidence suggests that Pomarine and Long-tailed are less exceptional than formerly believed. We treat Parasitic Jaegers as regular. The very limited number of recent accepted records for the other two species leaves their status as less than regular. In view of the limited number of well-documented reports identified to species, the Committee will continue to review documentations for all jaegers identified to species until a clearer picture of the relative abundance and timing of migration emerges.

1. House Finch

The house finch is that chunky bird, with males sporting that brick-red crown and breast, and females have brown streaks without the red shade. Its diet determines its plumage color, sometimes varying from bright to faint red or even yellow-orange.

2. Northern Cardinal

The Northern cardinal is among the Illinois birds that are well-loved by many. Its vivid red plumage might sometimes be the only thing that colors an otherwise dreary winter. Further, it builds nests using twigs and leaves, then places them on tree branches or shrubs.

3. House Sparrow

There are bird species where the male and female do not look identical, like in the case of the house sparrow. This creature has a petite body with finch-like features. Its plumage has streaks and spots in brown and fawn shades, with a black throat and a white wing bar.

4. Baltimore Oriole

This species is typically in North America from April to May, migrating towards their wintering ground in Central America as early as July. However, some of their kind would stay if there's a good food source to allow these birds to survive the cold winter.

5. Downy Woodpecker

This woodpecker is among the common backyard birds that immensely enjoy feeding insects. It's that agile and seemingly acrobatic bird in black and white plumage, with the same stubby legs, powerful claws, and rigid tails as other woodpeckers.

6. American Robin

When you come across some red cedar trees, you will sometimes witness an American robin flying erratically around them while hearing its sharp clucking call. This bird will sometimes join the other of its kind in what seems like a rowdy party while feasting on cedar berries.

7. American Goldfinch

It often surprises new birders that the brownish bird with black wings they see in winter is the same bright yellow bird they see in summer.

What are the birds that live in Illinois?

They can easily be divided into land birds, especially grassland birds and water birds. Illinois’ grassland birds have names not so common to many East Coast and West Coast birders generally unfamiliar with birds of that ecoregion. Greater Prairie Chickens, Grasshopper Sparrows and Henslow’s Sparrow make the list, ...

What birds live in the grassland?

Greater Prairie Chickens, Grasshopper Sparrows and Henslow’s Sparrow make the list, along with the most well known grassland bird, the Meadowlark . Visitors to the state can easily add to their life’s list by photographing a few of the less well known grassland birds.

How many species of birds are there in Lincoln Park?

The Lincoln Park birds checklist currently hovers around the 350 species mark. The list consists of both land and water birds such as the Common Goldeneye, one of a handful of duck species that enjoy the ponds and lakes around the city. The migratory season amplifies the number of species and total number of birds in the area.

How many ecoregions are there in Illinois?

Formal presentations that rely on topographical and climate factors can organize the state into fourteen different ecoregions. A quick layman’s look at a map and review of Illinois history reveals three important facts.

What are some interesting facts about Illinois?

A quick layman’s look at a map and review of Illinois history reveals three important facts. First, most regions in the state are agriculture or prairie related. Illinois use to be a land of great plains, Over the years it has been converted for agriculture purposes.

What does the cardinal represent in Illinois?

The people of Illinois chose the cardinal to represent Il linois birds. It’s a year round resident, common at backyard feeders throughout the state.

Where to bird in Chicago?

It should come as no surprise that Chicago offers birders a bit of everything. Start with Lincoln Park. Situated on the north end of Chicago with a shoreline along Lake Michigan, Lincoln Park always gets top mention as a premiere urban birding area.

Where can I find Kingbirds in Illinois?

Western Kingbirds are mainly seen in southern Illinois, near the Missouri border. They can be recognized by their fluttering movements, almost like a butterfly. These graceful birds can grab their prey in mid-air.

What is Illinois known for?

Sharing is caring! Illinois is blessed with breathtaking mature forests, rolling hills, and stunning wetlands. No wonder it’s nicknamed ‘The Prairie State. ’. This northern state is also known for its expansive shorelines. It boasts a total of 155 lakes and 26 miles of public beaches.

What do red crossbills build their nests on?

This makes them a nomadic species rather than regular migratory birds. To prepare for breeding season, they build their nests on conifer branches. The female builds it using mostly moss, grass, and bark roots. Red crossbill males are covered in brick red plumage.

How big are robins in Illinois?

Length: 8 – 11 in. Weight: 2 – 3 oz. Wingspan: 12 – 16.5 in. American Robins are year-round residents of Illinois. They prefer open habitats, such as woodlands and farmlands. However, you can frequently spot them in urban parks. The American Robin has been recorded as one of the most commonly observed in Illinois.

Where do Balck-throated Green Warblers live?

Balck-throated Green Warblers are migratory birds that rest in Illinois during their seasonal flights. They breed in the far north during the summertime and spend their winters in the tropics. Their preferred habitat is open strands of pine or hemlock trees. It’s where they can easily find insects, nuts, and seeds.

Where do monk parakeets live?

The Monk Parakeet is a year-round resident of a small portion of Illinois. These graceful birds prefer urban and suburban habitats. We’ve also seen them flying around in city parks and urban areas in search of tasty snacks. Monk Parakeets are the only species of parakeets to nest in a colony, often on tall structures.

Where do dark eyed juncos live?

Unlike many other bird species, Dark-eyed Juncos are winter birds in Illinois. Their preferred habitat is coniferous forests, farmlands, and suburban gardens. They forage for food by clawing the ground. Their diet consists of insects, seeds, and berries.

What birds are in Illinois?

Blue Jay ​. Gray Catbird. House Finch. These are the most common backyard birds in Illinois that may visit your lawn or feeders. They are the birds that appear most frequently on state checklists on ebird and the data is a combination of backyard birds most frequently spotted in summer (June and July) and winter (December and January).

How to identify birds in Illinois?

Here are some tips to help you identify birds so you can keep track of all the new birds you see whether you go out birding or stay backyard birding in Illinois: 1 Size – Size is the easiest thing to notice about a bird. Birds are often measured in inches or centimeters in guide books. It’s best to take a note of the bird in terms of small, medium, or large to be able to look for it later. A small bird is about the size of a sparrow, a medium bird is about the size of a pigeon and a large bird is the size of a goose. 2 Shape – Take note of the silhouette of the bird and jot it down or draw the outline. Look at tail length, bill shape, wing shape, and overall body shape. 3 Color pattern – Take a note of the main color of the head, back, belly, and wings, and tail for the main color and then any secondary colors or patterns. Also take note of any patterns such as banding, spots, or highlights. 4 Behavior – Are they on the ground or high up in the trees. Are they in flocks or on their own? Can you spot what they are eating? 5 Habitat – Woodlands, parks, shrubs, grasslands or meadows, shore or marsh. 6 Use a bird identification app such as those created by ebird or Audubon

How to attract song sparrows to feeders?

You can attract more song sparrows to your backyard feeders by putting black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and nyjer on platform feeders.

What do sparrows eat?

They will also eat black sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn and peanut hearts. 5. Song Sparrow. Song sparrows are not as remarkable as other backyard birds but these predominantly brown-streaked birds use their almost constant song to attract mates in spring and summer.

How to attract birds to backard?

If you would like to attract more birds to your yard in Illinois here are some tips: Provide bird feeders for different types of birds to get the most species to visit your yard. Provide a water feature such as a birdbath fountain or stream.

Why are gray catbirds called gray catbirds?

Gray Catbirds are so named because of their distinctive catty mew song that can last for up to 10 minutes.

Why are birds considered a pest?

Considered a pest by some due to their aggressive behavior these birds fly in large noisy flocks and can be seen perched in groups on the top of trees or flying over fields in flocks.

How many species of birds are there in Illinois?

However, according to Wikipedia there are at least 450 species of birds in the state of Illinois.

What bird has a red beak?

Northern Cardinals are among the most recognizable and common backyard birds in North America. Males have bright red feathers and a black mask, females have duller colors and are more pale brown with some reddish coloring. Both males and females are easily recognized by their “mohawks” and reddish orange beaks .

What is the crest of a titmice bird?

Like Cardinals, they have a small crest (the “mohawk”) that helps you tell them apart from other birds. Titmice are silver-gray on top and lighter on bottom, with a black patch just above their beaks.

How big are chickadees?

Wingspan: 6.3-8.3 in (Black-Capped), 5.9-7.9 in (Carolina) Chickadees are tiny little birds that are very easy to recognize because of their “black cap” and black bib. Their cheeks are solid white, their wings and backs are gray, and their underbodies are fluffy and light.

What do doves look like?

About the size of a robin, doves are very common in backyards and will often sit perched on telephone wires or in groups in trees. I sometimes see them on my tray feeder, but more often than not they are seen walking around on the ground. Mourning Doves are mostly gray with black spots on top and a pale peachy color below.

How can I attract birds to my yard?

1. Put out bird feeders. The best and most obvious way to attract birds to your yard is to put out a bird feeder or two. I suggest starting with a simple tube feeder, hopper feeder, platform feeder, or a window feeder.

What is the smallest woodpecker?

Downy’s are very common backyard birds that love to visit bird feeders. They are the smallest woodpeckers in North America and are always one of the first species I see at a new bird feeder. They are easily identifiable by their all white underbodies, black wings with white spots, black and white striped heads, and the red spot on the back of their heads (in males, females have no red). Though they do closely resemble the Hairy Woodpecker, Downy’s are smaller with shorter beaks.

What birds are in Illinois in the winter?

So the next two lists are the common birds ranked in winter and then in summer. The most common backyard birds in Illinois in winter (December to February) are these: 1. Northern Cardinal (44% frequency) 2. Dark-eyed Junco (41%) 3.

What is the most common bird in the eastern half of the United States?

Northern Cardinal (49%) This is one of the most common and popular backyard birds in the eastern half of the United States. Identification: Size: Cardinals are a bit smaller than American Robins, about the same size as Red-winged Blackbirds. Shape: Plump body with fairly long full tail.

What is the shape of a chickadee?

Identification: Size: Chickadees are small birds, the same general size as an American Goldfinch. Shape: Round body, big round head, long tail with rounded tip. Bill: Short, straight, stout.

How many counties are there in Illinois?

There are 102 counties in Illinois. There are bird lists for each county. The county with the most birds recorded is Cook County with 396 species. The county with the least birds recorded is Clay County with 176 species. From this County page there are 3 selections that I want to share with you.

What color are birds in summer?

Color: Males in summer are bright lemon yellow with black forehead and black wings and tail with white bars. White under tail coverts. Females dull olive, wings and tail browner. Winter birds are pale grayish-yellow with tan and brown wings and tail.

How big is a blackbird?

Identification: This is a key species for comparing with an unknown bird. Size: 8-1/2 inches from bill tip to tail tip. About the size of a Red-winged Blackbird. Smaller than an American Robin. Larger than a White-crowned Sparrow or Spotted/Eastern towhee. Shape: Stocky with large head, short square-ended tail. Longer legs. Bill: As long as head. Sharp pointed. Yellow in spring, otherwise dark. Color: They are grayish brown much of the year, with glossy iridescence and white spotting during the spring.

Where do starlings live?

Resident from coast-to-coast from southern Canada to northern Mexico. In summer north across Canada and Alaska. Native range is Europe to Pakistan, north Africa. Often viewed as a pest, starlings often bully other backyard birds, taking over bird feeders, and stealing nest cavities from smaller native birds.

Overview

Finches, euphonias, and allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae
Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. Twelve species have been recorded in Illinois.

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

New World quail

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Grebes

Pigeons and doves

Cuckoos