The current strain of the bird flu has been spreading rapidly among wild and poultry birds alike, causing concern over what happens next. Learn about some of the consequences of avian influenza and some of the measures you can use to protect yourself and our local birds.

December marks the beginning of the Christmas Bird Count, and with the holiday season in full swing, the iconic song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” has been playing relentlessly. But did you know that the birds in this classic song can essentially be found in Illinois? Learn which birds you can observe for the Christmas Bird Count that also show up in “The Twelve Days of Christmas!”

Did you know that Wild Turkeys, the symbol of Thanksgiving and November, have been sighted right here in Chicagoland? Learn about the history of turkeys in Chicago, from their reintroduction to save them from the brink of being wiped out to how they’ve rebounded so well that they’ve gained new, potentially uncharted, territory.

This year’s cicada season has come and gone, and during the spring and summertime, birders across Chicagoland eagerly observed their favorite birds feasting upon two broods of periodical cicadas. You submitted some fantastic photos, and it was great to see how birds were reacting to the abundance of cicadas! However, some fledglings started to lose their eyesight, possibly due to eating too many cicadas.

With the deaths of the great horned owl family of Lincoln Park having been confirmed to be the result of rodenticides, it’s important to understand the devastating impact that rat poison has on birds of prey, and what solutions can be implemented to handle the brown rat population of Chicago properly.

Have you ever wondered what happens to a salvaged bird after it’s been collected by the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors? They are added to the Field Museum’s collection for research and preservation by their Ornithology Department! Learn more about this process and how you can contribute to this ever-growing collection!

It’s springtime. The weather is getting warmer, trees are blooming, and many birds are migrating across the country. But while many people have been keeping an eye on all the migratory birds as of late, everyone is also waiting with bated breath for the rise of the cicadas this spring.