About Birds and Birding
Birds are a great connection to nature for urban dwellers. They are lively and interesting, and can be found in every local park and preserve. There are over 300 birds that can be seen right here in the Chicago area. Audubon has a website that will help you get started, and below are resources you can download and print out for your next birding trip in the Chicago area.
Birds of The Greater Chicago Area Seasonal Checklist
This checklist contains 328 species of birds that have been reported in the greater Chicago area since 1970.
Birds of the windy city
Discover over 300 birds in Chicago.
This printable guide, although several years old, still provides a comprehensive overview of Chicago’s bird life and resources for learning more. Chicago is a great place to learn about birds and become stewards for their survival.
Of course, you can start looking for birds anyplace. Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society both have bird identification sites, with calls, distribution maps, and other facts about our birds. The free Audubon or Merlin bird identification app can help you to narrow down your choices in the field - it is made for newer birders.
Bird identification APPs
Apps provide ID help quickly based on location, size, color:
Bird guide books
The Sibley Guide to Birds is considered the classic go-to with detailed descriptions and illustrations, but there are many other bird field guides to explore.
In the daytime, there's birding - and in the nighttime, there's online quizzes! Here's a link to a very comprehensive site – it has different level quizzes and links to online practice quizzes, and it covers the birds of our region and not too many others.
Once you start to identify some birds, join eBird, an online data repository where many birders post their sightings. You can find out what birds are being seen and who is birding near you on a daily basis. You might even find an illustrated bird checklist for your local park!
eBird
To find out where the birds - and the birders - are, check eBird, the online data repository that holds the collective knowledge of the hemisphere’s birders.
Going on birding field trips is the best way to learn more. Birders are a welcoming group, and there are lots of them in the Chicago area. Join Chicago Bird Alliance for a field trip or bird walk. Hotspots like Montrose Point and Jackson Park’s Wooded Island are usually full of birders on good migration days. And check out this calendar to find other local field trips.
This pocket guide covers the seven Illinois counties surrounding Chicago and the two north-west Indiana counties along Lake Michigan. It offers the highlights of birding in the Chicago region.
Chicago is full of local birders. Find them in the field and on social media. Chicago Bird Alliance has a Facebook page and a group where you can see local conservation news and great photos of the birds that are in the area. Illinois Birding Network is another great Facebook group for new birders. See below for more resources to expand your network!
Organizations
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, an all volunteer Chicago conservation effort. They rescue injured migratory birds that hit buildings downtown and they work to reduce risks in Chicago to these birds. Hotline - (773) 988-1867
Chicago Ornithological Society, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2012.
Illinois Ornithological Society, the statewide birding organization.
Bird Conservation Network, a coalition of organizations with an interest in bird conservation
Eagle Nature Foundation, Ltd., an Illinois based nonprofit organization devoted to environmental preservation of the bald eagle and other endangered species
Birding community
Illinois Birding Calendar, maintained by Jenny Vogt. Dates and Locations for Field Trips, Presentations, and Other Illinois Birding Events
IBET (IL Birders Exchanging Thoughts), a Google group for Illinois birders.
Find or Be a “Birding Pal” - www.birdingpal.org
Are you taking a vacation or business trip soon? Check out a really great web site called birdingpal.org, where birdwatchers can find local contacts.Chicago Area Birding Guide, where to bird in the west suburbs.
Illinois Young Birders, a birding club for kids, teens, and young adults ages 9 to 18.
Other
Wildbirds.com includes information on identifying, attracting and protecting birds, as wel as finding birds in each state. State bird checklists are available, along with articles on selecting binoculars and on wild bird photography.
Bird Note is a series of daily two-minute podcasts about birds full of fascinating information.
Peterson Online Birds, a new quality site with lots of info and links. Thanks to Chuck Williamson for creating the link.
Illinois Natural Resources Information Network, species specific information.
Cook County Forest Preserve District, birding page includes a birding checklist, and upcoming Forest Preserve events.
Header Photo by Jerry Goldner