Wild About Illinois Birds!

According to the Illinois Ornithological Society, a total of 458 species and one species group have been officially recorded in the state as of January 2024. Near the bottom of each species page, you will notice the status listed as either common or casual. For the purposes of these pages, the definition of the status is obtained from the Illinois Ornithological Society.

Common = Species for which there are at least eight records in the past ten years. This includes species that are very local and those that cannot be located reliably anywhere in the state. Most species in this category are expected within the state annually.

Casual = Species for which there are at least six records in the state and three to seven records in the past ten years.