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.
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
905
Species
121
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 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.
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
80 snaps
Duck
68 snaps
Canada Goose
65 snaps
Northern Cardinal
47 snaps
Red-winged Blackbird
45 snaps
Places to Start
Best places for birding in Illinois
These place guides connect well with the birds covered in this region.
Park95 sightings8 species
Illinois, US
Jackson Park
You might spot Great Blue Heron and American Herring Gull.
View place guide →
Park129 sightings15 species
Illinois, US
Humboldt (Alexander Von) Park
You might spot Wood Duck, Red-Winged Blackbird, and Duck.
View place guide →
Park98 sightings9 species
Illinois, US
Northerly Island
You might spot Canada Goose, Ring-Billed Gull, and Red-Winged Blackbird.
View place guide →
Park122 sightings14 species
Illinois, US
River Park
You might spot Duck, American Robin, and Black-Crowned Night Heron.
View place guide →
Photo coming soon
Park29 sightings15 species
Illinois, US
Lily Gardens Park
View place guide →
Zoo30 sightings19 species
Illinois, US
Brookfield Zoo
You might spot Polar Bear, Brown Bear, and American Bison.
View place guide →
Full Guide
Full Illinois birds list
The complete ranked list for this guide, ordered by sightings count.
180 snaps268 snaps365 snaps447 snaps545 snaps640 snaps733 snaps832 snaps931 snaps1030 snaps1129 snaps1218 snaps1316 snaps1415 snaps1515 snaps1614 snaps1714 snaps1812 snaps1912 snaps2012 snaps2111 snaps229 snaps238 snaps248 snaps258 snaps267 snaps277 snaps287 snaps296 snaps306 snaps316 snaps326 snaps336 snaps345 snaps355 snaps365 snaps375 snaps385 snaps395 snaps405 snaps415 snaps424 snaps434 snaps444 snaps454 snaps464 snaps474 snaps483 snaps493 snaps503 snaps513 snaps523 snaps533 snaps543 snaps553 snaps563 snaps573 snaps583 snaps593 snaps603 snaps612 snaps622 snaps632 snaps642 snaps652 snaps662 snaps672 snaps682 snaps692 snaps702 snaps712 snaps722 snaps732 snaps742 snaps752 snaps762 snaps772 snaps782 snaps791 snaps801 snaps811 snaps821 snaps831 snaps841 snaps851 snaps861 snaps871 snaps881 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 snaps
American Robin
Duck
Canada Goose
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Bald Eagle
House Sparrow
Ring-billed Gull
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Blue Heron
Wood Duck
European Starling
American Goldfinch
Black-crowned Night Heron
Downy Woodpecker
House Finch
Mourning Dove
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Flicker
Pigeon
Cooper's Hawk
American Kestrel
Common Grackle
Double-crested Cormorant
Vulture
Gray Catbird
Green Heron
Song Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Killdeer
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Red-headed Woodpecker
White-throated Sparrow
American Crow
Baltimore Oriole
Black-capped Chickadee
Eastern Phoebe
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Sandhill Crane
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-crowned Sparrow
Belted Kingfisher
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Indigo Bunting
Northern House Wren
American Redstart
Barred Owl
Blue Jay
Cedar Waxwing
Great Egret
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Prothonotary Warbler
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Scarlet Tanager
Tree Swallow
American White Pelican
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Chipping Sparrow
Cliff Swallow
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Merganser
Lesser Scaup
Magnolia Warbler
Narragansett Turkey
Palm Warbler
Pekin Duck
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Ruddy Duck
Solitary Sandpiper
Summer Tanager
Swainson's Thrush
Tundra Swan
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Coot
American Herring Gull
Barn Swallow
Bell's Vireo
Black-necked Stilt
Blackpoll Warbler
Blue-headed Vireo
Bobolink
Brown Creeper
Brown Thrasher
Bufflehead
Caspian Tern
Common Nighthawk
Eastern Screech-Owl
Field Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Horned Owl
Greater White-fronted Goose
Horned Grebe
Horned Lark
Lincoln's Sparrow
Meadowlark
Mississippi Kite
Northern Harrier
Northern Yellow Warbler
Orchard Oriole
Osprey
Peregrine Falcon
Piping Plover
Rough-legged Hawk
Savannah Sparrow
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
Other Guides
Keep exploring Illinois
Switch from birding to flowers and bugs for a broader view of Illinois' wildlife and nature.
