Tag Archives: Illinois

Bluebirds of Illinois (2 Species to Know)

Bluebirds are affable members of the thrush family named for their coloration. There are three species of bluebirds native to North America, and two species that can be found in Illinois with one being common and the other being a very rare visitor. Here is everything you need to know about the bluebirds of Illinois.

Eastern Bluebird

Male Eastern Bluebird
Identification

Male Eastern Bluebirds have a sky blue back, wings, tail, and head. They have a reddish orange chest and underside as well as a very faint eye ring. Females have a grayish colored head with blue wings and a darker orange underside with a more noticeable eye ring. Both males and females have white on their underside near their legs.

Range

Eastern Bluebirds live year-round in parts of Mexico, Central America, and the Southeastern United States. In summer, many of them move north into the Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada.

Diet and Foraging Habits

The diet of Eastern Bluebird varies depending on the time of the year. When insects are available, they make up an extremely large part of their diet. Other times of the year this species eats an array of fruits.

Where to Find This Bird

Eastern Bluebirds can be found around open spaces near edge habitat. Prairies, fields, and pastures are all places where this species can be found regularly in addition to more forested areas as well as around ponds.

Badgerland Birding searches for Eastern Bluebirds

Mountain Bluebird (Rare)

Mountain Bluebird
Identification

Male Mountain Bluebirds are bright blue with a white under-tail, and lighter coloration on their lower underside. Females are blueish gray with brighter blue on their tail and wings. Both males and females have a light eye ring.

Range

Mountain Bluebirds are a species of Western North America with a wintering range that dips into Mexico, and a summertime range that reaches into the heart of Alaska. They can be found year round in states such as California, Utah, and Nevada, among others.

Diet and Foraging Habits

Mountain Bluebirds are mostly insectivorous and eat a variety of small invertebrates including grasshoppers, caterpillars, and spiders. They will also eat berries and other fruits including those of sumac and mistletoe.

Where to Find This Bird

Mountain Bluebirds can be found in open spaces such as the edges of prairies and fields. They can also be found in higher elevation places such as mountainsides and coniferous woodlands.

In Illinois, Mountain Bluebirds occasionally show up but are by no means annual. Most sightings of them occur in the Western part of the state.

Badgerland Birding searches for a female Mountain Bluebird outside of its normal range

Summary

Bluebirds are typically birds that people are happy to see. Knowing more about the species that are expected in your area can be instrumental in finding and identifying them. Hopefully, this article has helped to answer some questions about the bluebirds of Illinois.

If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and a comment. Also be sure to check out the Badgerland Birding Youtube Channel

Falcons of Illinois (5 Species to Know)

Falcons are the stealth fighter jets of the bird world. Recording some of the fastest speeds of all winged animals, these dynamic flyers are captivating to watch.

There are three species of falcons that can be found in Illinois on an annual basis, and two that are quite rare for the state. Here are the five species of falcons that can be found in the land of Lincoln.

American Kestrel

American Kestrel
Identification

The American Kestrel is a small and colorful bird. Males have a rusty colored back as well as a lighter rusty colored underside. They have blue on their wings and the top of their head as well as black markings near their eye. Females are lighter overall with rusty orange barring on their wings, back, and tail.

Range

American Kestrels live in both South America and North America. In North America, Kestrels are migratory and reside in Mexico in winter, then move into Canada during the breeding season. Throughout much of the United States, American Kestrels can be found year round.

Diet and Foraging Habits

American Kestrels eat small creatures including insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and rodents. In terms of the insects they eat, some of the most commonly consumed are grasshoppers, dragonflies, and cicadas.

Where to Find this Bird

American Kestrels are a common sight along roadsides and in open fields. They can be seen on telephone poles and wires in addition to perched on dead trees and other structures in areas with few trees. Other places Kestrels can be found are urban parks, pastures, and farm fields.

Merlin

Merlin (Bill Thompson photo)
Identification

Merlins are very small members of the falcon family looking similar in size to a Mourning Dove. They have a blueish gray to black back, wings, and head, and a buffy to brown streaked underside. Merlins can differ in color based on region but always maintain a somewhat similar appearance. Most of the time they will have a white eye brow stripe.

Range

Merlins winter in Northern South America, Central America, Mexico, the Southeastern United States, and most of the Western United States. In spring they migrate north ending up in only the most Northern parts of the U.S. and much of Canada and Alaska. There is an area from the Northwestern part of the United States to the Southwestern part of Alaska where Merlins live year round. Some individuals stay all winter in Northern states as well.

Diet and Foraging Habits

Merlins primarily eat small birds such as waxwings, sparrows, and even shorebirds. In addition to birds, they also eat insects and rodents.

Where to Find this Bird

Merlins can be tricky to find as encountering one typically seems like a matter of luck. They can be found in wooded areas as well as in open areas where they will be surveying for food. Sometimes the easiest way to see them is in flight when they will be moving at high speeds.

Personal Experience: It seems like if I ever go out intentionally trying to find Merlins there aren’t any around. Each year I typically find one by chance while out birding. It seems that even though they aren’t necessarily supposed to winter in the northern U.S. that is when I see them most.

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon (Betsy Matsubara Photo – CC by 2.0)
Identification

Peregrine Falcons are iconic birds with a dark back, wings, head, and neck. They have a light underside with dark barring and noticeable bright yellow legs. This species has interesting facial markings that some people refer to as “sideburns” but is essentially dark coloration coming down below the eye onto the cheeks of the bird.

Range

The Peregrine Falcon’s range in North America is complicated with a general pattern of wintering in the Southeastern United States and Mexico, summering in Northern Canada, and migrating throughout the rest of the continent. However, there are many places in the continental United States that Peregrine Falcons breed in during summer (such as along Lake Superior) and live year round (such as most of the Pacific Coast, and around the Great Lakes).

This species not only lives in North America, but every other continent as well with the exception of Antarctica.

Diet and Foraging Habits

Peregrine Falcons are the fastest fliers in the entire animal kingdom reaching normal speeds of around 70 miles per hour and a diving speed of around 200 miles per hour. They use this incredible speed to hunt medium sized birds such as doves and ducks, but they have been observed taking on an extremely wide array of different bird species. Peregrine Falcons will also eat fish, and mammals.

Where to Find this Bird

Peregrine Falcons have adapted well to human habitation and use skyscrapers as nesting sites. In more wild areas they will use cliffs as nest sites. Peregrine Falcons can be reliable sights in places where people have placed nest boxes specifically for the species to breed in. Often times these places have corresponding nest cams.

In Illinois, the city of Chicago is one of the best locations to find Peregrine Falcons as the open spaces along the lake and tall buildings to nest on provide fantastic habitat.

Gyrfalcon (Rare)

Gyrfalcon (dfaulder Photo – CC by 2.0)
Identification

Gyrfalcons come in two different color morphs. Living in the high arctic is the white morph which essentially looks like someone took the look of a Snowy Owl and put it on a large falcon. They are pure white with black markings on their wings. The gray morph typically lives farther south and has a gray back and head with dark barring on the underside. They have dark teardrop markings underneath the eye.

Range

Gyrfalcons breed in the arctic with some migrating into the Northern United States to spend the winter. There is a population that lives in mid to Northern Canada and Alaska that most likely stay in the same area year round.

Diet and Foraging Habits

Gyrfalcons feed mostly on medium sized birds such as ptarmigans and seabirds. They will also eat mammals such as lemmings and typically dive onto prey from above.

Where to Find this Bird

Gyrfalcons are most typically found in the continental United States in winter. They like open spaces such as tundras and coast lines where they can survey for prey.

In Northern Midwestern states, this species is quite rare and seems to show up even less often than it used to. The cities of Duluth and Superior have traditionally been a places these birds turn up, but it has been a few years since a reliable individual was reported in either city.

Prairie Falcon (Rare)

Prairie Falcon (Charles Gates Photo – CC by 2.0)
Identification

Prairie Falcons have a light brown back, wings, and head with a white underside barred with brown. They have a different facial pattern than the Peregrine Falcon with a brown teardrop marking below the eye that contrasts the pure white of the cheeks and chin.

Range

Prairie Falcons are birds of the Western United States, living year round in most states west of Minnesota and Louisiana year round. They also live in parts of Mexico and Southwestern Canada year round. In winter, some individuals move east into more of the Great Plains states.

Diet and Foraging Habits

Prairie Falcons eat many different small mammals in addition to insects and birds. Like most falcons, they have quite a varied diet in terms of the bird species they eat.

Where to Find this Bird

True to their name, Prairie Falcons live in open spaces such as grasslands, open fields, tundra, and farmland. They nest in places with bluffs and cliffs but often are most easily seen hunting. Prairie Falcons are often on the move and cruise the open spaces looking for food. They can also sometimes be seen perched on branches or telephone poles.

Summary

Falcons are always entertaining to see, and knowing which ones to expect in the state can be a key part of correctly identifying the bird you are seeing. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and a comment. Also be sure to check out the Badgerland Birding Youtube Channel.

Hummingbirds of Illinois (2 Species to Know)

Hummingbirds are captivating creatures that buzz around backyards and flowers at a frenetic pace. While they are quite small, they sometimes travel extreme distances during migration, leading to many species showing up in places outside of their normal range.

While Illinois has records of many different rare hummingbirds showing up in the state over the years, there are really only two species that can be found in the state on a regular basis. Here is everything you need to know about those two species.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Male – Photo by USFWS Midwest Region
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Female – Photo by Susan Young
Identification

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds look different depending on the lighting. Sometimes they can appear dark olive color, but when the sun hits them, they shine with a bright emerald green on the back, wings, head, and tail. Female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have a white throat and underside while males have a bright shining red throat. Again, if the lighting is dark, the throat will be dark red to black looking in color.

Range

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird spends the winter in Central America and Southern Mexico. In spring, they head north and breed throughout the Eastern United States as well as some parts of Southern Canada. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only naturally occurring hummingbird species that breeds in the Eastern US.

Diet and Foraging Habits

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds consume nectar from flowers, particularly from red or orange flowers. They will also eat small insects that they find near flowers or even catch them out of mid air.

Where to Find This Bird

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can be found in forested areas, around fields, and in backyards. They frequent ornamental flowers as well as hummingbird feeders and are common in their normal range. To find them, either stake out flower beds, or keep your eyes peeled for something that looks like a very large insect buzzing through the air.

Rufous Hummingbird (Uncommon)

Rufous Hummingbird Adult Male – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Rufous Hummingbird – Photo by Bill Grossmeyer
Identification

Adult male Rufous Hummingbirds have a golden orange color on their head, back, and tail with darker colored wings. They have dark tips of the tail feathers with the exception of the outer tail feathers that are white-tipped. Adult males have a reddish pink iridescent throat and a white bib. Females and immature males are much more pale overall with a light underside and a green back, head, and tail. They still have hints of the rusty orange coloration that adult males possess but it looks like more of a light wash.

Range

Rufous Hummingbirds live in the Western half of North America. They winter in Southwestern Mexico and have a fairly lengthy migration to the Pacific Northwest and Southwestern Canada where they spend the breeding months.

Diet and Foraging Habits

Rufous Hummingbirds feed from flowers where they use their long bills to get nectar. They also eat small insects such as flies and aphids. They will catch them on the wing or pick them off of flowers and vegetation.

Where to Find This Bird

Rufous Hummingbirds live in a wide variety of habitats including forests, meadows, and backyards. This species is known to visit hummingbird feeders and can sometimes be a bully to other hummingbirds trying to get nectar.

In Illinois, Rufous Hummingbirds are rare visitors but do make an appearance on an annual basis. They are typically found during fall migration and usually by a homeowner who notices them at their hummingbird feeder. Look for a large hummingbird from August to November and leave feeders up well into late fall if you’d like to attract one.

Summary

Hummingbirds are beloved by many birders and backyard bird watchers alike. Knowing the habits, range, and key identification features of each of these species can be incredibly useful in knowing what to look for in the field. Keep in mind, Illinois has had an assortment of rare hummingbirds that show up very occasionally, so it’s possible that a bird you are trying to identify could be a vagrant species, so do not rule any of them out if your bird doesn’t fit with either of the two expected species.

If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and a comment. Also be sure to check out the Badgerland Birding Youtube Channel.

Grosbeaks of Illinois (3 Species to Know)

Grosbeaks are birds that are known for their sturdy looking build and thick bill. While they all share a similar appearance, grosbeaks are actually comprised of birds from two separate groupings. Out of five species of grosbeaks that live in the continental United States , three of them are technically in the cardinal family along with birds like tanagers, and the other two are in the finch family.

In Illinois there are three species that can be found on an annual basis with some being extremely common and others being a bit tougher to find.

Grosbeaks in the Finch Family

Evening Grosbeak (Rare)

Male Evening Grosbeak
Identification

Evening Grosbeaks are an extremely bright looking species. Males have electric yellow undersides, backs, and markings on their head just above the eye. They have black wings, a black tail, clean white wing patches, and an extremely thick bill. Females and immature birds are mostly gray with a yellow nape, black wings, and a black tail with white patches on them.

Range

The Evening Grosbeak’s range is somewhat misleading. They are year round residents of Southern Canada and some parts of the Western United States. Most maps show their wintering range covering most of Michigan, Wisconsin, and New England, but through my experience, most winters Evening Grosbeaks only inhabit the most northern parts of these areas. Evening Grosbeaks do have years in which they fly farther South during winter but in recent years they have not irrupted in the same way that records from the past show. Additionally, the range of this species seems to be receding farther north into Canada each year.

Diet and Foraging Habits

Evening Grosbeaks have different diets depending on the time of year. During summer, they feed primarily on insects and other invertebrates, most notably spruce budworm larva. Other times of the year, Evening Grosbeaks eat various types of seeds including seeds from fruits.

Where to Find This Bird

Evening Grosbeaks can be found in conifer forests. They also can be found near bird feeders in their native range.

Badgerland Birding searches for an Evening Grosbeak in Milwaukee, WI

Grosbeaks in the Cardinal Family

Blue Grosbeak

Blue Grosbeak – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification

As their name suggests, male Blue Grosbeaks are a deep blue color. They have a gray bill, small black mask, and two rusty wing bars. Females and immature males are orangey brown with faint wing bars still visible.

Range

Blue Grosbeaks spend the winter in Central America and Mexico. Some of them stay in Mexico year-round while others move north into the United States where they can be found in the southern states as well as the Great Plains States for the duration of the summer.

Diet and Foraging Habits

Blue Grosbeaks eat a combination of insects and seeds. They will also eat other invertebrates such as spiders and snails.

Where to Find This Bird

Blue Grosbeaks are most at home in open areas such as scrub and desert. They are also fond of edge habitats where they can hide in trees and thickets while singing.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Identification

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are dapper looking birds with a thick bill. Males have a black head,  back, tail and wings with white markings also appearing on the wings. They have a white underside with their most noticeable feature appearing on their chest: A namesake bright red marking. Females have a mottled brown back with a yellowish underside and a white eye brow stripe.

Range

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks migrate annually from Northern South America, Central America, and Southern Mexico into the Eastern United States. In summer, they end up in the Northeastern U.S. and parts of Southern Canada. 

Diet and Foraging Habits

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks feed on different food items depending on the time of the year. During spring and summer, insects make up a large portion of their diet. While in fall, berries and other fruits become more of a staple. They will also eat seeds and other plant matter.

Where to Find This Bird

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks live in a variety of habitats including deciduous and mixed conifer woods, forest edges, areas with streams and other water sources, and in backyards. They will also visit both seed and fruit bird feeders, so this is a species that can be attracted to parks, backyards, and nature centers. 

Summary

Grosbeaks are beautiful and popular birds to both birders and backyard bird lovers. Knowing more about the species that are expected in your area can be instrumental in finding and identifying them, especially since they have such irregular migratory patterns. Hopefully, this article has helped to answer some questions about the grosbeaks of Illinois.

If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and a comment. Also be sure to check out the Badgerland Birding Youtube Channel.