Birds of Illinois: The Official State Checklist

Which birds can hurt you

Official sources single out these birds in Illinois, in their own words:

• 

  Canada goose

  Can bite and chase people who come too close (Illinois Extension). “Geese can be quite territorial and even bite and chase people who come too close.” University of Illinois Extension

• dead or dying wild birds

  Can carry avian flu. “Dead birds can carry highly pathogenic avian influenza, HPAI, also known as avian flu or bird flu, which has been documented in the U.S. since 2022. Do not handle dead or dying birds” University of Illinois Extension

All 432 birds on the list

• Acadian flycatcher Empidonax virescens
• alder flycatcher Empidonax alnorum
• Allen’s hummingbird Selasphorus sasin
• American avocet Recurvirostra americana
• American bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
• American black duck Anas rubripes
• American coot Fulica americana
• American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
• American golden-plover Pluvialis dominica
• American goldfinch Spinus tristis
• American kestrel Falco sparverius
• American pipit Anthus rubescens
• American redstart Setophaga ruticilla
• American robin Turdus migratorius
• American tree sparrow Spizella arborea
• American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
• American wigeon Anas americana
• American woodcock Scolopax minor
• ancient murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus
• anhinga Anhinga anhinga
• Arctic loon Gavia arctica
• Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea
• ash-throated flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
• Bachman's sparrow Peucaea aestivalis
• Baird's sandpiper Calidris bairdii
• bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
• Baltimore oriole Icterus galbula
• band-tailed pigeon Patagioenas fasciata
• bank swallow Riparia riparia
• barn owl Tyto alba
• barn swallow Hirundo rustica
• barred owl Strix varia
• Barrow's goldeneye Bucephala islandica
• bay-breasted warbler Dendroica castanea
• Bell's vireo Vireo bellii
• belted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
• Bewick's wren Thryomanes bewickii
• black rail Laterallus jamaicensis
• black scoter Melanitta americana
• black skimmer Rynchops niger
• black tern Chlidonias niger
• black vulture Coragyps altratus
• black-and-white warbler Mniotilta varia
• black-backed woodpecker Picoides arcticus
• black-bellied plover Pluvialis squatarola
• black-bellied whistling duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
• black-billed cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
• black-billed magpie Pica hudsonia
• black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapillus
• black-crowned night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax
• black-headed grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
• black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
• black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
• black-necked stilt Himantopus mexicanus
• black-throated blue warbler Dendroica caerulescens
• black-throated gray warbler Dendroica nigrescens
• black-throated green warbler Dendroica virens
• black-throated sparrow Amphispiza bilineata
• Blackburnian warbler Dendroica fusca
• blackpoll warbler Dendroica striata
• blue grosbeak Passerina caerulea
• blue jay Cyanocitta cristata
• blue-gray gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
• blue-headed vireo Vireo solitarius
• blue-winged teal Anas discors
• blue-winged warbler Vermivora cyanoptera
• bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
• Bohemian waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
• Bonaparte's gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia
• boreal chickadee Poecile hudsonicus
• boreal owl Aegolius funereus
• brant Branta bernicla
• Brewer's blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
• Brewer's sparrow Spizella breweri
• broad-tailed hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus
• broad-winged hawk Buteo platypterus
• brown creeper Certhia americana
• brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
• brown thrasher Toxostoma rufum
• brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater
• brown-headed nuthatch Sitta pusilla
• buff-breasted sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
• bufflehead Bucephala albeola
• burrowing owl Athene cunicularia
• cackling goose Branta hutchinsii
• California gull Larus californicus
• Canada goose Branta canadensis
• Canada warbler Wilsonia canadensis
• canvasback Aythya valisineria
• Cape May warbler Dendroica tigrina
• Carolina chickadee Poecile carolinensis
• Carolina wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
• Caspian tern Hydroprogne caspia
• Cassin's sparrow Peucaea cassinii
• cattle egret Bubulcus ibis
• cedar waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
• cerulean warbler Dendroica cerulea
• chestnut-collared longspur Calcarius ornatus
• chestnut-sided warbler Dendroica pensylvanica
• chimney swift Chaetura pelagica
• chipping sparrow Spizella passerina
• Chuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis
• cinnamon teal Anas cyanoptera
• Clark's grebe Aechmophorus clarkii
• Clark's nutcracker Nucifraga columbiana
• clay-colored sparrow Spizella pallida
• cliff swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
• common eider Somateria mollissima
• common goldeneye Bucephala clangula
• common grackle Quiscalus quiscula
• common ground-dove Columbina passerina
• common loon Gavia immer
• common merganser Mergus merganser
• common moorhen Gallinula chloropus
• common nighthawk Chordeiles minor
• common redpoll Acanthis flammea
• common snipe Gallinago gallinago
• common tern Sterna hirundo
• common yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
• Connecticut warbler Oporornis agilis
• Cooper's hawk Accipiter cooperii
• curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
• curve-billed thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre
• dark-eyed junco Junco hyemalis
• dickcissel Spiza americana
• double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
• dovekie Alle alle
• downy woodpecker Picoides pubescens
• dunlin Calidris alpina
• eared grebe Podiceps nigricollis
• eastern bluebird Sialia sialis
• eastern kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
• eastern meadowlark Sturnella magna
• eastern phoebe Sayornis phoebe
• eastern screech-owl Megascops asio
• eastern towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
• eastern whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus
• eastern wood-pewee Contopus virens
• Eskimo curlew Numenius borealis
• Eurasian collared-dove Streptopelia decaocto
• Eurasian tree sparrow Passer montanus
• Eurasian wigeon Anas penelope
• European starling Sturnus vulgaris
• evening grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus
• ferruginous hawk Buteo regalis
• field sparrow Spizella pusilla
• fish crow Corvus ossifragus
• fork-tailed flycatcher Tyrannus savana
• Forster's tern Sterna forsteri
• fox sparrow Passerella iliaca
• Franklin's gull Leucophaeus pipixcan
• fulvous whistling-duck Dendrocygna bicolor
• gadwall Anas strepera
• garganey Anas querquedula
• glaucous gull Larus hyperboreus
• glaucous-winged gull Larus glaucescens
• glossy ibis Plegadis falcinellus
• golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos
• golden-crowned kinglet Regulus satrapa
• golden-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla
• golden-winged warbler Vermivora chrysoptera
• grasshopper sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
• gray catbird Dumetella carolinensis
• gray partridge Perdix perdix
• gray-cheeked thrush Catharus minimus
• gray-crowned rosy-finch Leucosticte tephrocotis
• great black-backed gull Larus marinus
• great blue heron Ardea herodias
• great crested flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
• great egret Ardea alba
• great horned owl Bubo virginianus
• great-tailed grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
• greater prairie-chicken Tympanuchus cupido
• greater scaup Aythya marila
• greater white-fronted goose Anser albifrons
• greater yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
• green heron Butorides virescens
• green-tailed towhee Pipilo chlorurus
• green-winged teal Anas crecca
• groove-billed ani Crotophaga sulcirostris
• gull-billed tern Gelochelidon nilotica
• gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus
• hairy woodpecker Picoides villosus
• harlequin duck Histrionicus histrionicus
• Harris's sparrow Zonotrichia querula
• Henslow's sparrow Ammodramus henslowii
• hepatic tanager Piranga flava
• hermit thrush Catharus guttatus
• hermit warbler Dendroica occidentalis
• herring gull Larus argentatus
• hoary redpoll Acanthis hornemanni
• hooded merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
• hooded warbler Wilsonia citrina
• horned grebe Podiceps auritus
• horned lark Eremophila alpestris
• house finch Carpodacus mexicanus
• house sparrow Passer domesticus
• house wren Troglodytes aedon
• Hudsonian godwit Limosa haemastica
• Iceland gull Larus glaucoides
• inca dove Columbina inca
• indigo bunting Passerina cyanea
• ivory gull Pagophila eburnea
• Kentucky warbler Oporornis formosus
• killdeer Charadrius vociferus
• king eider Somateria spectabilis
• king rail Rallus elegans
• Kirtland's warbler Dendroica kirtlandii
• Lapland longspur Calcarius lapponicus
• large-billed tern Phaetusa simplex
• lark bunting Calamospiza melanocorys
• lark sparrow Chondestes grammacus
• laughing gull Leucophaeus atricilla
• lazuli bunting Passerina amoena
• Le Conte's sparrow Ammodramus leconteii
• least bittern Ixobrychus exilis
• least flycatcher Empidonax minimus
• least sandpiper Calidris minutilla
• least tern Sternula antillarum
• lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus
• lesser scaup Aythya affinis
• lesser yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
• Lincoln's sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
• little blue heron Egretta caerulea
• little gull Hydrocoloeus minutes
• loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus
• long-billed curlew Numenius americanus
• long-billed dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
• long-eared owl Asio otus
• long-tailed duck Clangula hyemalis
• long-tailed jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus
• Louisiana waterthrush Parkesia motacilla
• MacGillivray's warbler Oporornis tolmiei
• magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens
• magnolia warbler Dendroica magnolia
• mallard Anas platyrhynchos
• marbled godwit Limosa fedoa
• marsh wren Cistothorus palustris
• merlin Falco columbarius
• mew gull Larus canus
• Mississippi kite Ictinia mississippiensis
• monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus
• mottled duck Anas fulvigula
• mountain bluebird Sialia currucoides
• mourning dove Zenaida macroura
• mourning warbler Oporornis philadelphia
• mute swan Cygnus olor
• Nashville warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla
• Nelson's sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni
• Neotropic cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus
• northern bobwhite Colinus virginianus
• northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
• northern flicker Colaptes auratus
• northern gannet Morus bassanus
• northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis
• northern harrier Circus cyaneus
• northern hawk owl Surnia ulula
• northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
• northern parula Parula americana
• northern pintail Anas acuta
• northern rough-winged swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
• northern saw-whet owl Aegolius acadicus
• northern shoveler Anas clypeata
• northern shrike Lanius excubitor
• northern waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis
• northern wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
• olive-sided flycatcher Contopus cooperi
• orange-crowned warbler Oreothlypis celata
• orchard oriole Icterus spurius
• osprey Pandion haliaetus
• ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
• Pacific loon Gavia pacifica
• painted bunting Passerina ciris
• palm warbler Dendroica palmarum
• parasitic jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
• pectoral sandpiper Calidris melanotos
• peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus
• Philadelphia vireo Vireo philadelphicus
• pied-billed grebe Podilymbus podiceps
• pileated woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
• pine grosbeak Pinicola enucleator
• pine siskin Spinus pinus
• pine warbler Dendroica pinus
• piping plover Charadrius melodus
• pomarine jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
• prairie falcon Falco mexicanus
• prairie warbler Dendroica discolor
• prothonotary warbler Protonotaria citrea
• purple finch Carpodacus purpureus
• purple gallinule Porphyrio martinica
• purple martin Progne subis
• purple sandpiper Calidris maritima
• red crossbill Loxia curvirostra
• red knot Calidris canutus
• red phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
• red-bellied woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
• red-breasted merganser Mergus serrator
• red-breasted nuthatch Sitta canadensis
• red-cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealis
• red-eyed vireo Vireo olivaceus
• red-headed woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
• red-necked grebe Podiceps grisegena
• red-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
• red-shouldered hawk Buteo lineatus
• red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis
• red-throated loon Gavia stellata
• red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
• reddish egret Egretta rufescens
• redhead Aythya americana
• ring-billed gull Larus delawarensis
• ring-necked duck Aythya collaris
• ring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchicus
• rock pigeon Columba livia
• rock wren Salpinctes obsoletus
• rose-breasted grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
• roseate spoonbill Platalea ajaja
• Ross's goose Chen rossii
• Ross's gull Rhodostethia rosea
• rough-legged hawk Buteo lagopus
• royal tern Thalasseus maximus
• ruby-crowned kinglet Regulus calendula
• ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris
• ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis
• ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres
• ruff Philomachus pugnax
• ruffed grouse Bonasa umbellus
• rufous hummingbird Selasphorus rufus
• rusty blackbird Euphagus carolinus
• Sabine's gull Xema sabini
• sage thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus
• sanderling Calidris alba
• sandhill crane Grus canadensis
• sandwich tern Thalasseus sandvicensis
• savannah sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
• Say's phoebe Sayornis saya
• scarlet tanager Piranga olivacea
• scissor-tailed flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus
• Scott’s oriole Icterus parisorum
• sedge wren Cistothorus platensis
• semipalmated plover Charadrius semipalmatus
• semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla
• sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus
• sharp-tailed sandpiper Calidris acuminata
• short-billed dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
• short-eared owl Asio flammeus
• slaty-backed gull Larus schistisagus
• Smith's longspur Calcarius pictus
• snow bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
• snow goose Chen caerulescens
• snowy egret Egretta thula
• snowy owl Bubo scandiacus
• snowy plover Charadrius alexandrinus
• solitary sandpiper Tringa solitaria
• song sparrow Melospiza melodia
• sooty tern Onychoprion fuscatus
• sora Porzana carolina
• spotted sandpiper Actitis macularius
• spotted towhee Pipilo maculatus
• Sprague's pipit Anthus spragueii
• Stellar’s jay Cyanocitta stelleri
• stilt sandpiper Calidris himantopus
• summer tanager Piranga rubra
• surf scoter Melanitta perspicillata
• Swainson's hawk Buteo swainsoni
• Swainson's thrush Catharus ustulatus
• Swainson's warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii
• swallow-tailed kite Elanoides forficatus
• swamp sparrow Melospiza georgiana
• Tennessee warbler Oreothlypis peregrina
• Thayer's gull Larus thayeri
• Townsend's solitaire Myadestes townsendi
• Townsend's warbler Dendroica townsendi
• tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor
• tricolored heron Egretta tricolor
• trumpeter swan Cygnus buccinator
• tufted duck Aythya fuligula
• tufted titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
• tundra swan Cygnus columbianus
• turkey vulture Cathartes aura
• upland sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
• varied thrush Ixoreus naevius
• veery Catharus fuscescens
• vermilion flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
• vesper sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
• violet-green swallow Tachycineta thalassina
• Virginia rail Rallus limicola
• warbling vireo Vireo gilvus
• western grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis
• western gull Larus occidentalis
• western kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
• western meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
• western sandpiper Calidris mauri
• western scrub-jay Aphelocoma californica
• western tanager Piranga ludoviciana
• whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
• white ibis Eudocimus albus
• white-breasted nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
• white-cheeked pintail Anas bahamensis
• white-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
• white-eyed vireo Vireo griseus
• white-faced ibis Plegadis chihi
• white-rumped sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
• white-tailed kite Elanus leucurus
• white-throated sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
• white-winged crossbill Loxia leucoptera
• white-winged dove Zenaida asiatica
• white-winged scoter Melanitta fusca
• whooping crane Grus americana
• wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo
• willet Tringa semipalmata
• Williamson's sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroides
• willow flycatcher Empidonax traillii
• Wilson's phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
• Wilson’s snipe Gallinago delicata
• Wilson's warbler Wilsonia pusilla
• winter wren Troglodytes hiemalis
• wood duck Aix sponsa
• wood stork Mycteria americana
• wood thrush Hylocichla mustelina
• worm-eating warbler Helmitheros vermivorum
• yellow rail Coturnicops noveboracensis
• yellow warbler Dendroica petechia
• yellow-bellied flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris
• yellow-bellied sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
• yellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
• yellow-billed loon Gavia adamsii
• yellow-breasted chat Icteria virens
• yellow-crowned night-heron Nyctanassa violacea
• yellow-headed blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
• yellow-rumped warbler Dendroica coronata
• yellow-throated vireo Vireo flavifrons
• yellow-throated warbler Dendroica dominica

Birds people confuse

Turkey vulture or Eagle?

Turkey vulture Not stated

Eagle Not stated

An eagle holds its wings flat and they are uniformly black; a turkey vulture's are held in a slight V and are two-toned.

Bald eagle or Golden eagle?

Bald eagle Not stated

No confirmed photo of Golden eagle

Golden eagle Not stated

Young bald eagles lack the white head and tail and are often mistaken for golden eagles. Bald eagles have unfeathered lower legs and hold their wings flat when soaring; TWRA says golden eagles have feathered legs, limited white under the wing, and lift the outer wing in a slight V.

Red-tailed hawk or Red-shouldered hawk?

Red-tailed hawk Not stated

No confirmed photo of Red-shouldered hawk

Red-shouldered hawk Not stated

A red-tail's rust-colored, broad, short tail distinguishes it from the smaller red-shouldered hawk (North Carolina). Tennessee: the red-shouldered hawk has a black and white banded tail and appears more uniformly colored.

Northern cardinal or Summer tanager?

Northern cardinal Not stated

Summer tanager Not stated

MDC: the adult male summer tanager is entirely rosy red, slightly darker on wings and tail, and is a summer resident; the adult male northern cardinal has a crest and a black area around its large red bill and is present year-round. TWRA says the summer tanager is the only other all-red songbird in Tennessee.

Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.

When birds are active in Illinois

Records of birds in Illinois peak in March to June and September. They show when people record birds, not how many there are (about month bars).

If you are bitten or stung

Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Help connects you to your local poison center, any time of day.

About this list

The species list comes from Illinois Birds (IDNR scientific-name list of wild bird species found in Illinois) (Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), server Last-Modified 2023-01-11; list cites sources AOU 2010 Check-list and INHS 2010 Birds of Illinois; extinct/extirpated species excluded).

Venom does not apply to birds.