Chicago Area Bird-watching

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National Geographic Guide to Birdwatching Sites, Eastern U.S.

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"People in Chicago are spoiled. They think all you have to do is wait and the birds will come to you." So goes a saying of downstate Illinois birders—and to some degree, they’re right. One of the most urbanized environments in America boasts fabulous birding in spring and fall, when migrants throng lakeshore parks offering the only greenery between the concrete sprawl of the city and the watery expanse of Lake Michigan. CONTINUED

- Montrose Point
- Illinois Beach State Park
- Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area

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Montrose Point

A female cardinal perches on a branch in Illinois

Photograph © Richard Hamilton Smith

The most famous bit of vegetation in Chicago is the Magic Hedge at Montrose Point (E from Lake Shore Dr. on Montrose Ave., then SE on Harbor Dr.), a strip of small trees and shrubs atop a grassy slope between Harbor Drive and the water. Especially after a cold front in fall or inclement weather in spring, this spot can have an overwhelming number of both species and individuals. It’s futile to try to list the possibilities, so many of the birds of eastern North America have shown up here (along with a surprising number from the West). Cuckoos, flycatchers, vireos, thrushes, warblers, tanagers, and sparrows are, of course, present in varying numbers, and the list of vagrants seen in the area is long and diverse, from Reddish Egret to Groove-billed Ani to Kirtland’s Warbler. Be sure to check the harbor, nearby beaches, and the lake itself for loons, grebes, waterfowl, shorebirds, and gulls.
A few blocks south, the Lincoln Park Bird Sanctuary (Irving Park Rd. E from Lake Shore Dr.) offers similar birding. South of the Loop, the Paul Douglas Nature Sanctuary, also known as Wooded Isle, at Jackson Park (across Clarence Darrow Bridge opposite the Museum of Science and Industry) is another birders’ favorite. Watch for the introduced Monk Parakeet, which builds its bulky nest on power poles. Watch, too, for Peregrine Falcon here and elsewhere in Chicago. Reintroduced, this magnificent predator has successfully nested in several spots around town, happily feeding on Rock Doves (the common city pigeon).

Illinois Beach State Park
North of the city, stretching 7 miles [11.3 kilometers] along the Lake Michigan shore almost to Wisconsin, Illinois Beach State Park (Wadsworth Rd. E from Illinois 137) has long attracted birders to its varied habitats of beach, marsh, grassland, and woods. All these can be found on the trails leading south from the visitor center toward Dead River, where songbirds appear in good numbers in migration. Illinois Beach is also known as a fine spot to watch fall raptor flights. From September through October, Sharp-shinned, Cooper’s, Broad-winged, and Red-tailed Hawks; Merlin; Peregrine Falcon; and others may be seen. Days with west winds are best for hawk-watching, since birds traveling south are pushed eastward to the lakeshore and then follow it as they continue their journey.
From fall through spring, Waukegan Harbor (Grand Ave. E from Illinois 137) is a popular spot to search for loons, waterfowl, and gulls. The beach just to the north often has a good number of shorebirds in migration.

Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area
Southwest of Chicago, Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area (take the Pine Bluff Rd. exit off I-55 and drive W 8 miles; 12.9 kilometers) is an excellent place to find marsh and grassland birds. It’s probably the state’s best spot to find Henslow’s Sparrow, which sings its unimpressive little si-lick song in spring and summer. To see one, you may need to walk the trails some distance from the visitor center—try the far end of the Marsh Loop.
Among the other nesting birds here: Pied-billed Grebe; Northern Harrier (not every year, but common in winter); King and Virginia Rails; Sora; Field, Savannah, Grasshopper, Song, and Swamp Sparrows; and Bobolink. Rails are always elusive and not easily found. You may have better luck seeing them on exposed mudflats when marshes begin to dry up in late summer. Short-eared Owl is a winter visitor to the grasslands here, appearing at dusk to quarter the fields in search of rodents.