List of birds of Illinois facts for kids

The northern cardinal is the state bird of Illinois.

This list tells you about the different types of birds found in Illinois, a state in the United States. The Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC) keeps track of these birds. As of March 2024, there are 455 different kinds of birds on their official list!

Some birds are very common, while others are rare visitors. Here's what some of the codes next to their names mean:

(A) Accidental: These birds have only been seen a couple of times in Illinois over the last ten years. They don't usually live here.
(C) Casual: These birds visit Illinois more often than "Accidental" birds, but they are still not regular residents.
(I) Introduced: These birds were brought to North America by people and now live in the wild.
(E) Extinct: These birds no longer exist anywhere in the world.
(Ex) Extirpated: These birds used to live in Illinois but are no longer found in the wild here. Some might have been brought back by people.

This list only includes birds that live freely and have their own families in Illinois. Birds that might have escaped from someone's home are not included.

The birds are listed in a special scientific order from the "Check-list of North and Middle American Birds." This helps scientists keep track of all the different bird families.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Canada goose

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae

This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are great at living in water! They have webbed feet for swimming, flat beaks, and special oily feathers that shed water easily. Forty-five different kinds of these birds have been seen in Illinois.

Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis
Snow goose, Anser caerulescens
Canada goose, Branta canadensis
Mute swan, Cygnus olor (I)
Wood duck, Aix sponsa
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
Northern pintail, Anas acuta
Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis

New World Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae

New World quails are small, plump birds that live on the ground. They look a bit like quails from other parts of the world, but they are not closely related. Only one type of New World quail has been seen in Illinois.

Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus

Pheasants, Grouse, and Their Relatives

Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae

This family includes pheasants and their relatives. These birds also live on the ground. They come in different sizes but are usually plump with wide, short wings. Many of them are hunted for food or raised on farms. Six kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo (Ex)
Greater prairie-chicken, Tympanuchus cupido
Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I)

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-sized birds that dive in freshwater. They have special lobed toes that make them excellent swimmers and divers. However, their feet are set far back on their bodies, so they are clumsy on land. Six kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps
Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus
Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis

Pigeons and Doves

Mourning dove

Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are birds with strong bodies, short necks, and thin beaks. They have a fleshy part at the base of their beak called a cere. Eight kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I)
Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I)
Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae

This family includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds have slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. Three kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus
Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus

Nightjars and Their Relatives

Common nighthawk

Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae

Nightjars are medium-sized birds that are active at night. They usually build their nests on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short beaks. Their soft feathers are colored to help them blend in with tree bark or leaves. Three kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor
Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus

Swifts

Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae

Swifts are small birds that spend most of their lives flying. They have very short legs and almost never land on the ground. Instead, they perch on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long, swept-back wings that look like a crescent moon. One kind has been seen in Illinois.

Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica

Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are tiny birds famous for hovering in the air by flapping their wings super fast. They are the only birds that can fly backward! Six kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris
Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

American coot

Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae

This is a large family of small to medium-sized birds that live in thick plants near lakes, swamps, or rivers. They are often shy and hard to spot. Most have strong legs and long toes, which are great for walking on soft, uneven ground. They tend to have short, rounded wings and are not very strong fliers. Eight kinds have been seen in Illinois.

King rail, Rallus elegans
American coot, Fulica americana
Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis

Cranes

Sandhill crane

Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae

Cranes are large birds with long legs and long necks. Unlike herons, which look similar, cranes fly with their necks stretched out. Many cranes have fancy and loud dances to attract a mate. Two kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis
Whooping crane, Grus americana (A)

Stilts and Avocets

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae

This family includes avocets and stilts, which are large wading birds. Avocets have long legs and long, upward-curving beaks. Stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight beaks. Two kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus
American avocet, Recurvirostra americana

Plovers and Lapwings

Killdeer

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae

This family includes plovers and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks, and long, pointed wings. They live in open areas all over the world, often near water. Nine kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola
Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus
Piping plover, Charadrius melodus

Sandpipers and Their Relatives

Wilson's phalarope

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae

This is a large and varied family of small to medium-sized shorebirds. It includes sandpipers, curlews, and snipes. Most of these birds eat small bugs they find in mud or soil. Their different leg and beak lengths allow many species to feed in the same places without competing for food. Thirty-six kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda
Sanderling, Calidris alba
Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla
American woodcock, Scolopax minor
Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata
Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularius
Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Ring-billed gull

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae

This family includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. They are medium to large seabirds, usually gray or white, often with black on their heads or wings. They have strong, longish beaks and webbed feet. Thirty-two kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla
Herring gull, Larus argentatus
Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis
Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia
Black tern, Chlidonias niger
Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae

Loons are water birds about the size of a large duck, but they are not related to ducks. They are mostly gray or black and have spear-shaped beaks. Loons swim and fly well, but they are very clumsy on land because their legs are at the back of their bodies. Four kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata
Common loon, Gavia immer

Pelicans

American white pelican

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a special pouch under their beak. Like other birds in their group, they have four webbed toes. Two kinds have been seen in Illinois.

American white pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis (C)

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

Great blue heron

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae

This family includes herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns have shorter necks and are more secretive. These birds fly with their necks pulled back, which is different from storks or ibises. Twelve kinds have been seen in Illinois.

American bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus
Great blue heron, Ardea herodias
Great egret, Ardea alba
Snowy egret, Egretta thula
Green heron, Butorides virescens
Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae

This family includes birds of prey like hawks, eagles, and kites. These birds have very large, strong, hooked beaks for tearing meat from their prey. They also have strong legs, powerful claws (talons), and excellent eyesight. Fifteen kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
Northern harrier, Circus hudsonius
Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis

Owls

Great horned owl

Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are mostly solitary birds of prey that are active at night. They have large eyes that face forward, good hearing, a hawk-like beak, and a clear circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. Ten kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Eastern screech-owl, Megascops asio
Great horned owl, Bubo virginianus
Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus
Barred owl, Strix varia
Northern saw-whet owl, Aegolius acadicus

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed beaks, short legs, and stubby tails. One kind has been seen in Illinois.

Belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon

Woodpeckers

Red-headed woodpecker

Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues for catching insects. Many woodpeckers tap loudly on tree trunks with their beaks. Twelve kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Red-headed woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Red-bellied woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus
Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius
Downy woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens
Northern flicker, Colaptes auratus
Pileated woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus

Falcons and Caracaras

Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae

This family includes falcons and caracaras. They are birds of prey that are active during the day. They are different from hawks and eagles because they kill their prey with their beaks instead of their claws. Five kinds have been seen in Illinois.

American kestrel, Falco sparverius
Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus (Ex)

New World and African Parrots

Monk parakeet

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae

Parrots are birds that can be small or large, with a special curved beak. They can move their upper beak a little. All parrots have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward on each foot. Most of the more than 150 types in this family live in the Americas. Two kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Monk parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus (I)
Carolina parakeet, Conuropsis carolinensis (E)

Tyrant Flycatchers

Eastern wood-pewee

Eastern phoebe

Order: Passeriformes Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are songbirds found across North and South America. They look a bit like flycatchers from other parts of the world but are stronger and have stronger beaks. They don't sing as fancy songs as some other birds. Most of them eat insects. Twenty-one kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Great crested flycatcher, Myiarchus crinitus
Eastern kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus
Eastern wood-pewee, Contopus virens
Eastern phoebe, Sayornis phoebe

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Blue jay

Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae

This family includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. These birds are larger than average for songbirds, and some of the bigger ones are very smart. Six kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Blue jay, Cyanocitta cristata
American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos
Fish crow, Corvus ossifragus

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Black-capped chickadee

Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae

The Paridae family includes small, sturdy woodland birds with short, strong beaks. Some have crests on their heads. They are adaptable birds that eat a mix of seeds and insects. Four kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Carolina chickadee, Poecile carolinensis
Black-capped chickadee, Poecile atricapilla
Tufted titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor

Swallows

Barn swallow

Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae

Swallows are songbirds known for catching food while flying. They have slender, streamlined bodies, long, pointed wings, and short beaks with wide mouths. Their feet are good for perching but not for walking. Eight kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Bank swallow, Riparia riparia
Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
Purple martin, Progne subis
Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
Cliff swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Waxwings

Cedar waxwing

Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae

Waxwings are birds with soft, silky feathers and unique red tips on some of their wing feathers. These tips look like sealing wax, which gives them their name. These birds live in northern forests and eat insects in summer and berries in winter. Two kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Bohemian waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus (C)
Cedar waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum

Thrushes and Their Relatives

Eastern bluebird

Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae

Thrushes are a group of songbirds that are plump and have soft feathers. They are small to medium-sized and eat insects or sometimes everything (omnivores), often finding food on the ground. Many have beautiful songs. Ten kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Eastern bluebird, Sialia sialis
Veery, Catharus fuscescens
Wood thrush, Hylocichla mustelina
American robin, Turdus migratorius

Old World Sparrows

House sparrow

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small songbirds. Generally, sparrows are small, plump, brownish or grayish birds with short tails and strong beaks. They eat seeds but also small insects. Two kinds have been seen in Illinois.

House sparrow, Passer domesticus (I)
Eurasian tree sparrow, Passer montanus (I)

New World Sparrows

White-throated sparrow

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passerellidae

These birds are often called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the Old World sparrows. Many of them have special patterns on their heads. Twenty-eight kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Grasshopper sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum
Chipping sparrow, Spizella passerina
Fox sparrow, Passerella iliaca
Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis
White-throated sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
Song sparrow, Melospiza melodia
Eastern towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Troupials and Their Relatives

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae

This group includes grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. They are small to medium-sized, often colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. Most species are mainly black, sometimes with bright yellow, orange, or red colors. Fourteen kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Yellow-headed blackbird, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Eastern meadowlark, Sturnella magna
Baltimore oriole, Icterus galbula
Red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
Brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus ater
Common grackle, Quiscalus quiscula

New World Warblers

Northern parula

Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae

New World warblers are a group of small, often colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. Most live in trees, but some, like the ovenbird, live more on the ground. Most of these birds eat insects. Forty-two kinds have been seen in Illinois.

Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapilla
Blue-winged warbler, Vermivora cyanoptera
Black-and-white warbler, Mniotilta varia
Common yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas
American redstart, Setophaga ruticilla
Yellow warbler, Setophaga petechia
Yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata
Canada warbler, Cardellina canadensis

Cardinals and Their Relatives

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae

Cardinals are a family of strong, seed-eating birds with powerful beaks. They usually live in open woodlands. The males and females often have different colored feathers. Twelve kinds have been seen in Illinois.