Jun 19, 2026
Durso Parki
Photo attribution
(c) Habib Rehman, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Birding Guide
Birding Guide for Illinois
Prairies, wetlands, woodlands, and migratory birds
Birding highlights, common sightings, and the best places to look for birds in Illinois. Use the highlight list to start quickly, then work through the full guide for a broader local view.
Sightings
1,040
Species
134
Active Months
12
Category Overview
Birds across Illinois
This guide focuses on birdlife within Illinois' wider region guide, helping families explore common sightings, shoreline birds, forest species, and the places where birding is easier to begin.
Latest Sightings
Recent bird sightings in Illinois
A recent look at bird sightings across Illinois.
Jun 19, 2026
Durso Parki
Photo attribution
(c) Gregory Wada, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jun 2, 2026
West Argyle Street Historic Districti
Photo attribution
(c) Becca, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jun 2, 2026
West Argyle Street Historic Districti
Photo attribution
(c) Becca, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jun 2, 2026
West Argyle Street Historic Districti
Photo attribution
(c) Becca, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jun 2, 2026
West Argyle Street Historic Districti
Photo attribution
(c) Becca, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Sightings Map
See where bird sightings cluster
Start wide, then zoom in to see where bird sightings cluster across Illinois.
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Top Highlights
Top 5 birds to see in Illinois
These birds are snapped the most across this region.
American Robin
86 snaps
Duck
70 snaps
Canada Goose
66 snaps
Northern Cardinal
51 snaps
Red-winged Blackbird
50 snaps
Places to Start
Best places for birding in Illinois
These place guides connect well with the birds covered in this region.
Park92 sightings50 species
Illinois, US
Humboldt (Alexander Von) Park
You might spot American Robin, Canada Goose, and House Sparrow.
View place guide →
Park95 sightings8 species
Illinois, US
Jackson Park
You might spot Great Blue Heron and American Herring Gull.
View place guide →
Park48 sightings50 species
Illinois, US
Loop Retail Historic District
You might spot Canada Goose, House Sparrow, and Rock Pigeon.
View place guide →
Park48 sightings50 species
Illinois, US
Michigan–Wacker Historic District
You might spot Canada Goose, House Sparrow, and Red-Winged Blackbird.
View place guide →
Park26 sightings50 species
Illinois, US
River Park
You might spot American Robin and White-Tailed Deer.
View place guide →
Park45 sightings50 species
Illinois, US
Durso Park
You might spot Canada Goose, House Sparrow, and Rock Pigeon.
View place guide →
Full Guide
Full Illinois birds list
The complete ranked list for this guide, ordered by sightings count.
186 snaps270 snaps366 snaps451 snaps550 snaps643 snaps742 snaps834 snaps933 snaps1033 snaps1132 snaps1227 snaps1320 snaps1419 snaps1517 snaps1616 snaps1714 snaps1814 snaps1912 snaps2012 snaps2111 snaps2210 snaps2310 snaps2410 snaps2510 snaps2610 snaps2710 snaps288 snaps298 snaps308 snaps317 snaps327 snaps336 snaps346 snaps356 snaps366 snaps376 snaps386 snaps396 snaps406 snaps416 snaps426 snaps435 snaps445 snaps455 snaps465 snaps475 snaps484 snaps494 snaps504 snaps514 snaps524 snaps534 snaps543 snaps553 snaps563 snaps573 snaps583 snaps593 snaps603 snaps613 snaps623 snaps633 snaps643 snaps653 snaps663 snaps673 snaps683 snaps692 snaps702 snaps712 snaps722 snaps732 snaps742 snaps752 snaps762 snaps772 snaps782 snaps792 snaps802 snaps812 snaps822 snaps832 snaps842 snaps852 snaps862 snaps872 snaps882 snaps891 snaps901 snaps911 snaps921 snaps931 snaps941 snaps951 snaps961 snaps971 snaps981 snaps991 snaps1001 snaps1011 snaps1021 snaps1031 snaps1041 snaps1051 snaps1061 snaps1071 snaps1081 snaps1091 snaps1101 snaps1111 snaps1121 snaps1131 snaps1141 snaps1151 snaps1161 snaps1171 snaps1181 snaps1191 snaps1201 snaps1211 snaps1221 snaps1231 snaps1241 snaps1251 snaps1261 snaps1271 snaps1281 snaps1291 snaps1301 snaps1311 snaps1321 snaps1331 snaps1341 snaps
American Robin
Duck
Canada Goose
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Bald Eagle
House Sparrow
Ring-billed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Wood Duck
Black-crowned Night Heron
European Starling
American Goldfinch
Downy Woodpecker
Mourning Dove
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Northern Flicker
Pigeon
Cooper's Hawk
American Kestrel
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Double-crested Cormorant
Gray Catbird
Killdeer
Green Heron
Song Sparrow
Vulture
Baltimore Oriole
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Bluebird
Great Egret
Indigo Bunting
Northern House Wren
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Red-headed Woodpecker
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Eastern Phoebe
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Sandhill Crane
Belted Kingfisher
Blue Jay
Cedar Waxwing
Dickcissel
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Redstart
American White Pelican
Barn Swallow
Barred Owl
Cliff Swallow
Common Yellowthroat
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Piping Plover
Prothonotary Warbler
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruddy Duck
Savannah Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Tree Swallow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Chipping Sparrow
Common Nighthawk
Eastern Screech-Owl
Great Crested Flycatcher
Hooded Merganser
Lesser Scaup
Lincoln's Sparrow
Magnolia Warbler
Narragansett Turkey
Palm Warbler
Pekin Duck
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Rock Pigeon
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Summer Tanager
Swainson's Thrush
Tundra Swan
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Coot
American Herring Gull
Bell's Vireo
Black-necked Stilt
Blackpoll Warbler
Blue Grosbeak
Blue-headed Vireo
Bobolink
Brown Creeper
Brown Thrasher
Bufflehead
Caspian Tern
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chimney Swift
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Horned Owl
Greater White-fronted Goose
Horned Grebe
Horned Lark
Least Sandpiper
Meadowlark
Mississippi Kite
Northern Harrier
Northern Pintail
Northern Yellow Warbler
Orchard Oriole
Osprey
Peregrine Falcon
Rough-legged Hawk
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Short-eared Owl
Snow Goose
Snowy Egret
Tennessee Warbler
Tufted Titmouse
Warbling Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
Wood Thrush
Yellow-Throated Vireo
Yellow-Throated Warbler
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Other Guides
Keep exploring Illinois
Switch from birding to flowers and bugs for a broader view of Illinois' wildlife and nature.
