With freezing temperatures, limited daylight and lengthy nights, many birds have eschewed Chicago for warmer climes. But there are still a number of hardy souls here, such as the Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, and Northern Cardinal. They have adopted diverse strategies that allow them to endure a Chicagoland winter.

We’re making progenitors!

Lately, it hasn’t always been apparent that the Chicago area is knee-deep in winter – for one thing, there’s been very little snow to be knee-deep in! However, many birds in our area provide a clue to the current astronomical season: their winter plumage. What we see in winter is non-breeding or basic plumage. Here we’ll learn about some dramatic and some subtle plumage changes in birds that we may see in Chicago this winter.

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.

The Chicago area, and in particular the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC), are fortunate to have several different types of natural habitats that birds need to thrive, including shrublands. Partnering for Birds, created by the Chicago Bird Alliance in collaboration with FPCC, uses data from the Bird Conservation Network and eBird to describe work-in-progress and birds of concern in the different habitats.

The Chicago Planning Commission is hearing a case that will permanently transform the south lakefront and ruin a lot of important bird habitat. The letter sent by Bird Friendly Chicago contains our recommendations to improve the site for birds. Please help! Here are two things you can do.

Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard is a push against the relentless drive to incessantly add to birding life lists; the book advocates for deep study in one area rather than spotting a bird and moving on to the next one.

Nature is full of awe and birds are a prime example of how fascinating the fauna on earth is. Some of this wonder, however, can come with a side of apprehension. Seeing as it’s Halloween, below are seven examples of how birds can be just a bit unsettling, whether it be the way they stare with those red eyes, their means of communication, or, in the case of the Loggerhead Shrike, their predilection for impalement.

Rodenticide kills birds but doesn’t kill many rats. Stop using it, Chicago!

Bird Friendly Chicago and its supporting organizations are looking to assemble a group of volunteers that can help speak up for bird conservation as new building projects work their way through city permitting.

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.

Illinois Beach State Park (IBSP) now has islands. They’re actually breakwaters built as part of a $73 million project to create shoreline stabilization structures in three different locations in the park.

The first-ever Urban Birding Festival, which ran from September 13th – September 15th, was an immense success! The festival offered a thrilling mixture of expert presentations, guided birding trips, educational workshops, and social gatherings. It was a fantastic opportunity for experienced and novice birders to learn more about avian wildlife and connect with others passionate about birds.

It’s important to stay hydrated in this heat, and birds are no exception to this tenet. By installing a birdbath, you can help those looking to cool off or have a drink.

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.

Our recommendations:

1. Landscaping that supports native birds, including at least one new bird sanctuary, all with diverse plant structure (canopy, understory, shrubs and ground cover), many areas of plant density and good plant species diversity

2. Preservation of specific areas, i.e., Montrose Beach, Jarvis Bird Sanctuary, etc.

3. Creation of migratory bird habitat as a buffer between the lakefront and dangerous buildings

4. Creation of shorebird habitat on islands, if possible

The Attorney General of Illinois joins the opposition to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ proposed new 25-foot high dump of toxic dredged wastes to be built on top of the now closed confined disposal facility (CDF).The Confined Disposal Facility is a dump that juts out into Lake Michigan between two well-used birding locations, Steelworkers’ and Calumet Parks in Chicago. Our partners Environmental Law and Policy Center are suing on behalf of Friends of the Parks and Alliance of the Southeast to ensure that the Army Corps does not build a 25-foot tall dump at the site, which is slated to be turned over the the Chicago Park District. We held a rally to support them. Here’s a recap of the day.

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!

Is it diet? Is it staining? This blog goes through evidence for both, and how you can (sometimes) tell them apart.

We are working with artist Holly Greenberg to make replicas of every bird killed from a window collision and collected on the streets of Chicago in 2023. Make a bird with us!

Amy Tan has come out with a new book that she wrote and illustrated called The Backyard Bird Chronicles. This engaging read with beautifully drawn illustrations contains excerpts from Amy’s nine journals that she filled with observations. Only birds that entered her backyard airspace made it onto the pages.

The Blitz was fun - and we saw some good birds!

The Chicago area and in particular the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) are fortunate to have several different types of natural habitats that birds need to thrive. “Partnering for Birds,” a free publication created by the Chicago Bird Alliance in collaboration with FPCC, uses data from the Bird Conservation Network and eBird. The four different habitats detailed are grasslands (highlighted here), shrublands, woodlands and savannas, and wetlands.

Green-up phenology, or the period when winter ends and new vegetation starts sprouting, is now happening sooner due to climate change. The unfortunate reality is that many birds are not adjusting fast enough, particularly birds that migrate long distances.

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.