Illinois Birding Hotspots

The Illinois birding hotspots list was based on information researched at bording web sites and birding books noted below. If you wish to add or correct an Illinois birding hotspot item, please send an email to webmaster@wildbirding.com

Almond Marsh Forest Preserve
Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Arcola Marsh
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Areas
Bartel Grassland
Batchtown division of Two Rivers NFWR
Bemis Woods Cook County Forest Preserve
Blackhawk Forest Preserve
Bolingbrook Park District - Historic Trout Farm
Bruce WMA / Okaw Group Camp
Buffalo Rock State Park
Cache River State Natural Area
Calamus Lake
Calhoun Division of the Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge incl. Mississippi SFWA
Carlyle Lake - James Hawn Access
Carlyle Lake - Parking Area 3
Carlyle Lake - Whitetail Access
Carlyle Lake WMA - Subimpoundments
Castle Rock State Park & Lowden-Miller SF
Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge
Chicago Botanic Garden
Clinton Lake - Parnell Access
Clinton Lake - Parnell Pines
Clinton Lake - Peninsula Day Use Area
Clinton Lake - Radio Tower Access
Clinton Marina
Clinton Marsh
Clinton Overlook
Coral Woods
Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge
Crab Orchard NWR
Crabtree Nature Center
Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Danada Forest Preserve
Decatur Airport
Des Plaines State Conservation Area
Donnelly and Lake Depue State Fish and Wildlife Areas
Double T Fish and Wildlife Area
Eggers Woods Forest Preserve
Eldon Hazlet State Park
Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge - Spoon River
Ferne Clyffe State Park
Fishhook WMA (Waterfowl Refuge)
Forest Glen Preserve
Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve
Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area
Grassy Slough TNC Natural Area
Great River National Wildlife Refuge
Grieder Sod Farm
H & E Sod Farm
Heidekie Lake
Hennepin and Hopper Lakes
Hidden Lake Forest Preserve - DuPage
Horseshoe Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Illinois Beach State Park
Independence Park
Iroquois County State Conservation Area
Jarvis Bird Sanctuary
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
Kaneville Quarry Berms
Kaskaskia River Corridor
Kennekuk County Park
Kickapoo State Park
L. Springfield Beach House
Lake Calumet area
Lake / McHenry wetlands complex
Lake Shelbyville Fish and Wildlife Management Area
Lakewood Shores
LaSalle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Lincoln Memorial Garden Park
Lincoln Park
Lippold Park
Limekiln Springs Preserve
Little Black Slough Nature Preserve
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
Long Channel
Lost Mound Unit, Savanna District of
Lyman Woods Forest Preserve
Maremgo Ridge Conservation Area
Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge Long Island Division
Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area
McDowell Grove Forest Preserve
McGinnes Slough
Meredosia State Fish and Wildlife Area
Mermet Lake
Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
Miller Meadows
Mississippi Palisades State Park
Mississippi River State Fish & Wildlife Area
Morton Arboretum - DuPage
Nason Observation Tower
Naval Station Great Lakes
Palos Forest Preserve
Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Piatt County Forest Preserve - Lodge Park
Pomona Nongame Bird Management Area
Poplar Creek Forest Preserve
Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge
Prairie Ridge State Natural Area - Jasper unit and Marion Unit
Pratt's Wayne Woods Forest Preserve
Pyramid State Park
Red's Landing State Fish and Wildlife Area
Rend Lake - Ward Branch
Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Rock Springs Center
Rollins Savanna
Ryerson Forset Preserve
Sand Prairie - Scrub Oak Natural Preserve
Sand Ridge State Forest
Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area
Sauer Prairie Kame
Shawnee National Forest - LaRue Springs
Shawnee National Forest - Oakwood Bottoms
Shawnee National Forest - Pine Hills Ecological Station
Spoon River - Emiquon NWR
Spring Rock Park
Swainson's Hawk Habitat (Kane / McHenry)
Starved Rock Lock and Dam
Tauck Woods
Thatcher Woods
The Magic Hedge, Chicago, Illinois
Trail of Tears State Forest
Trelease Woods
Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)
Union County Conservation Area
Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Army Corps of Engineers
Watershed Nature Center
Waukegan Lakefront
Winthrop Harbor
Wolf Road Prairie
Woodford County Conservation Area (CCA)
Worley Lake

Illinois birding hotspots information based on the following birding resources:

American Bird Conservancy - Globally Important Bird (GIB) Areas of the United States - (ABC) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, whose mission is to conserve wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas.

Bird Conservation Network - BCN is a coalition organization whose current members are 19 bird clubs, Audubon groups, ornithological societies and other conservation organizations located primarily in the Chicago metropolitan area. The members of our member groups aggregate in excess of 40,000 people. BCN’s mission is the conservation of birds and the habitats they need to survive. There is no full time staff; BCN’s board is made up of volunteer representatives from the member groups who carry out the needed work.

Birding.com - Over 200 of the top birding spots in North America. - How many have you visited? What are you waiting for?

Ebird.com - Birding Web site - Ebird.com was created to empower bird watchers just like you to help keep common birds common, and was designed to archive any bird sighting from across the continent.