Illinois Common Birds

              Birds are found worldwide in many habitats. Highly developed animals, birds are sensitive and
responsive, colorful and graceful, with habits that excite interest and inquiry. Of the 9,000-plus
species of birds in the world, about 800 have been found in North America. More than 400 species
have been recorded in Illinois, 205 of which have been documented as nesting in the state. These numbers
are subject to change, however, because birds are generally mobile animals and may move into Illinois from
other areas. The 25 species depicted here are commonly found in Illinois and were selected to represent the
variety of birds that reside in or pass through our state. Many obstacles are placed in front of birds, whether
they're feeding, flying, nesting, migrating or simply surviving. The back of this poster describes several
aspects of bird life, including the diverse situations they encounter.
This poster was made possible by:
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Division of Education
Division of Natural Heritage
Illinois State Museum
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Funded Cooperatively by the IDNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Species List
Scientific Classification:
All birds belong to the class
Aves, which is subdivided
into 27 orders.
Color Key:
n Aquatic species
n Grassland, woodland-edge,
and open-area
species
n Woodland species
Source:
American Ornithologists’
Union, The Check-list of
North American Birds,
Seventh Edition
Species Selection:
H. David Bohlen,
Illinois State Museum
Birds are not shown in
proportion to actual size.
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla © Rob Curtis/The Early Birder
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius © Rob Curtis/The Early Birder Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea © Rob Curtis/The Early Birder Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum © Todd Fink/Daybreak Imagery
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula © Rob Curtis/The Early Birder
Common Loon Gavia immer © Rob Curtis/The Early Birder
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina © Rob Curtis/The Early Birder
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Green Heron Butorides virescens
Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus American Coot Fulica americana Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
© Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery © Rob Curtis/The Early Birder © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
© Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
© Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery © Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery
American Coot Fulica americana
Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon
Common Loon Gavia immer
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Green Heron Butorides virescens
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea
Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
BIRDS
I l l i n o i s
c o m m o n