Go eagle watching in Illinois from scenic river bluffs, or check out the best birding in the diverse habitats of Illinois forest preserves, parks and wildlife areas.
Spring Birdwatching in Illinois
Spring is peak birdwatching time in Illinois! Migratory birds return from their winter retreats, and bring with them a sense of life and renewal. In lush forests and peaceful wetlands, you'll hear the calls of warblers and cranes, and spot colorful flocks soaring overhead. Let your curiosity bloom and go on an Illinois birdwatching adventure.
Spring birdwatching events and highlights
Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary (Chicago)
Birds you might see: Warblers, Thrushes, Vireos, Orioles, Sparrows
Montrose Point is a hotspot for migratory birds, especially warblers. This lakeside shrubland and shoreline attracts a wide variety of songbirds following their spring migration.
Starved Rock State Park (Utica)
Birds you might see: Great Blue Herons, Warblers, Swallows
The Illinois River and its surrounding cliffs add up to the perfect habitat for Great Blue Herons and other migratory species.
Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge (Havana)
Birds you might see: Sandhill Cranes, Waterfowl
This is a great spot for migratory waterfowl and cranes to take a break on their spring journey - and a great spot for you to spot them while they're on their way.
Allerton Park Spring Migration Bird Hikes (Monticello)
Fridays, April–May
The staff of Allerton Natural Areas provide guided bird hikes each Friday. No two weeks are alike: the species you'll see change continually as the migration season rolls on.
Birding Blitz of Southernmost Illinois
Late April to early May
How many birds can you spot? That's the challenge of this competitive birding event, taking place across Southern Illinois. Put together a team and see what you can find in the cypress swamps, upland forests, grasslands, and river deltas of southernmost Illinois.
Illinois Spring Bird Count (statewide)
Early May (annually)
Birds have a census of their own, and it's conducted during this event. Volunteers across the state spend teh day recording bird species in all 102 Illinois counties. This kind of data is vita for tracking bird populations and understanding how climate changes affect migration patterns.
Eagle watching in Illinois
Illinois is one of the best places to see bald eagles. Around 3,000 visit each winter, taking up residence in at least 27 counties around the state.
Find out where you can see these American icons soaring through the skies in Illinois.
Bird Watching Tours & Birding Companies
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Northern Illinois
Lake-Cook Audubon Birding Field Trips
Free birding trips with the Lake-Cook Audubon Society are a great option to see some of the local birds. Birds you could see include the Great Blue Heron, Broad-winged Hawks, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey and even the occasional Golden Eagle. Some trips have participation limits with prior registration required.
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Tours (Wilmington)
In June the forest services offer birdwatching tours, select either a hiking tour or a auto tour; the auto tours are limited to 10 vehicles per tour. The Midewin has more than 100 birds nesting in the area, with more during migration. Birds in the Midewin include Upland sandpiper, Loggerhead shrike, Bald Eagle, and red-headed woodpecker.
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Chicago
Chicago Ornithological Society Field Trips & Walks
Chicago Ornithological Society offer a range of walks and tours year-round throughout Chicagoland and beyond. Learn more about birds, and connect with other bird enthusiasts and spot some of the regular seasonal residents and migrating birds in the region.
Forest Preserves of Cook County
Forest Preserves offers a range of free birding events outside Chicago. Some of the events include owl walks at dawn or in the evening, and birds and bagels which include a hot drink and a bagel while watching the bird feeders from indoors.
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Western Illinois
Alton Eagle Watching Shuttle Tours
Enjoy a guided tour of some of the best American Bald Eagle-watching hot spots in and around the Alton area. The tour is 45 minutes long and available on multiple dates in January and February when the eagles can be seen nesting in the area.
Galena Birding
Take a birding field trip with Gregg Painter, an experienced birder in the Galena/Jo Daviess County area. Some of the birds you might see include the American white pelican, bald eagle, blue-winged teal, northern pintail and many more.
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Central Illinois
Decatur Audubon Bird Walks
The Decatur Area Audubon Society offers regular monthly bird walks. The walks meet on the second Saturday of each month to explore nearby nature reserves and are perfect for all experience levels. Bird sightings in the region include red-bellied woodpecker, bald eagle, great blue heron, double-crested cormorant, Canada geese and more.
Champaign County Audubon Society
See the Top 12 Favorite Prairie Birds in Central Illinois including the northern harrier, purple martin, and red-winged blackbird in this region. Birding locations including local forest preserves and parks, and the CCAS's Sunday morning guided bird walks occur during spring and fall migration seasons.
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Southern Illinois
Birding Hikes in Giant City State Park, Makanda
Giant City State Park has nearly 17 miles of hiking trails with beautiful views, and excellent birding opportunities. Join free birding hikes run by the Southern Illinois Audubon Society; information can be found on the Southernmost Illinois events calendar or the Illinois Department of Natural Resources event calendar.
Birdwatching in Chicago
Placeholder content here about birdwatching in Chicago. Birds also enjoy the city! And there are places you can go to see lots of them, so that's nice. See them by lakes, see them circling overhead, see them wherever good birds are seen.
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Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary
Montrose Point is along Lake Michigan. It has a lot of birds! We'll talk more about the birds soon.
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Northerly Island
Soon I'll add a lot to this piece about Northerly Island. It's a peninsula... it has grasslands, wetlands, and birds. So that's nice.
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Lincoln Park
You know lots about Lincoln Park, right? Yes, well, it has birds, too. There are wetlands, there are woodlands, everything a bird might want.