Bird Outings
Chicago Bird Alliance has been leading bird walks for over 30 years, in all areas of Chicago, on the north and south sides, and surrounding suburbs. Check out our detailed reports for past walks, and join us for an upcoming walk listed below.
All are welcome! Membership is not required, and people with all experience levels - including no experience - are encouraged to join us. We love to help anyone that is interested in learning about birds and birding.
Wear comfortable clothes and bring binoculars if you can.
We have walks every Saturday morning at Wooded Island in Jackson Park, weather permitting; at North Park Nature Center every Saturday during migration; and at other locations and dates as noted below.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Join the Chicago Piping Plovers volunteer monitors on the beach to pick up all of the plastics, cans, and other surprises that have accumulated on the beach over the winter.
In conjunction with Cook County Forest Preserves, CAS coordinates an extensive restoration project at Camp Pine Woods, an area prime for woodland and shrub prairie birds including summer nesters and seasonal migrants. Workday activities may include cutting and burning buckthorn, invasive plant removal, or seed collection.
Join this crowdsourced environmental art project by crafting a bird replica for the 300-foot carpet of birds killed in window collisions in Chicago. Free and open to all ages.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Join us for the screening of Broken Flight, an educational documentary on bird migration, hosted at the beautiful Prosser Community Garden!
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
This year we will hold our CBA 2026 Annual Meeting, and celebrate the accomplishments of some local heroes, with a Birding and Brunch event.
The 2026 Chicago Bird Alliance Annual Meeting and Environmental Awards Brunch will be held on Saturday, April 18th at the Mathew Bieszczat Volunteer Resource Center, in the Forest Preserves of Cook County overlooking the Edgebrook Golf Course.
Join CBA for an afternoon bird outing at Lincoln Park Zoo. We will be searching for migratory bird species warblers and sparrows. Then, we will visit the Black-crowned Night Heron breeding colony where–at this time of year–the nests are well-occupied by nesting pairs in the dozens.
Join this crowdsourced environmental art project by crafting a bird replica for the 300-foot carpet of birds killed in window collisions in Chicago. Free and open to all ages.
Join this crowdsourced environmental art project by crafting a bird replica for the 300-foot carpet of birds killed in window collisions in Chicago. Free and open to all ages.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Woodland migrants, herons, wood ducks and other waterfowl are some of the birds we might find in late April at Columbus Park. Expect an easy mile to mile and a half walk.
We will explore this 960 acre restored prairie in the Southwest corner of Cook County. Target birds will be returning grassland breeding species such as, Bobolinks, Dickcissels, Eastern Meadowlarks. Sparrows such as Henslow’s, Field, Grasshopper and Songs also breed here.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Chicago Bird Alliance has hosted walks at Jackson Park every Saturday, year ‘round (weather permitting), for over 50 years! We traverse a distance of about two miles, walking through Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow. The walks are free and open to all, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
