Birds
A red-winged blackbird defends its nest above the marsh.
The Forest Preserves of Cook County has a bird checklist which includes almost 300 species found throughout the preserves, most of which can be spotted along the Chicago River, especially during migration. Audubon also has a guide to North American birds. Some common river-loving birds are highlighted below.
Please email your wildlife questions, stories, or images to wildlife@chicagoriver.org.
- Bank swallow (Riparia riparia)
- Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
- Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
- Common tern (Sterna hirundo)
- Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
- Great blue heron (Ardea herodius)
- Mallard duck (Anas platyrynhcos)
- Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
- Snowy egret (Egretta thula)
Other resources:
- Ecology of the Chicago Region: Birds
- Common Summer Birds of Chicago
- Common Winter Birds of Chicago
- Common Sparrows
- Warblers of the Chicago Region
- FPCC Bird Checklist
- River Life Stories: bald eagle, barred owl, belted kingfisher, black-crowned night heron, Cooper's hawk, great blue heron, osprey, red-bellied woodpecker, red-winged blackbird, sandhill crane, scarlet tanager and yellow-headed blackbird
