Birds in Illinois in October

Percent of complete checklists in Illinois that reported the bird during these weeks, 2016–2025 (100,514 checklists). It shows how likely you are to list the bird, not how many there are. Methods.

1. 1American Robin54%
2. 2Northern Cardinal50%
3. 3Blue Jay48%
4. 4Canada Goose47%
5. 5American Goldfinch43%
6. 6Downy Woodpecker41%
7. 7Red-bellied Woodpecker40%
8. 8Black-capped Chickadee39%
9. 9Yellow-rumped Warbler39%
10. 10White-throated Sparrow38%
11. 11House Sparrow36%
12. 12American Crow34%
13. 13Mallard33%
14. 14White-breasted Nuthatch31%
15. 15Mourning Dove30%
16. 16European Starling29%
17. 17House Finch29%
18. 18Red-winged Blackbird29%
19. 19Dark-eyed Junco29%
20. 20Song Sparrow26%
21. 21Golden-crowned Kinglet26%
22. 22Northern Flicker25%
23. 23Ring-billed Gull22%
24. 24Ruby-crowned Kinglet22%
25. 25Great Blue Heron21%
26. 26White-crowned Sparrow21%
27. 27Red-tailed Hawk19%
28. 28Swamp Sparrow17%
29. 29Double-crested Cormorant16%
30. 30Turkey Vulture16%
31. 31Killdeer15%
32. 32Cedar Waxwing15%
33. 33Palm Warbler15%
34. 34Common Grackle14%
35. 35Hermit Thrush13%
36. 36Hairy Woodpecker13%
37. 37Eastern Bluebird13%
38. 38Cooper's Hawk13%
39. 39Wood Duck11%
40. 40Great Egret11%
41. 41Tufted Titmouse11%
42. 42Carolina Wren11%
43. 43Brown Creeper10%

• American Tree Sparrowfirst arrivals mid October, peaks mid January
• Red-breasted Merganserfirst arrivals late October, peaks mid March
• Buffleheadfirst arrivals late October, peaks mid March
• Lesser Scaupfirst arrivals mid October, peaks mid March
• Ring-necked Duckfirst arrivals the second week of October, peaks mid March
• Fox Sparrowfirst arrivals early October, peaks late March
• Hooded Merganserfirst arrivals mid October, peaks the second week of March
• Redheadfirst arrivals the second week of October, peaks early March
• Greater White-fronted Goosefirst arrivals mid October, peaks late February
• Ruddy Duckfirst arrivals early October, peaks early November
• Bonaparte's Gullfirst arrivals early October, peaks the second week of November
• American Black Duckfirst arrivals mid October, peaks the second week of January

• Gray Catbirdmost gone by early October
• Common Gracklemost gone by mid October
• Great Blue Heronmost gone by mid October
• Ruby-throated Hummingbirdmost gone by early October
• Killdeermost gone by late October
• American Redstartmost gone by early October
• Swainson's Thrushmost gone by the second week of October
• Rose-breasted Grosbeakmost gone by early October
• Chimney Swiftmost gone by the second week of October
• Great Egretmost gone by mid October
• Chipping Sparrowmost gone by the second week of October
• Eastern Phoebemost gone by late October

44. 44Eastern Phoebe10%
45. 45Belted Kingfisher9.9%
46. 46Rock Pigeon9.7%
47. 47Chimney Swift9.3%
48. 48Red-breasted Nuthatch9.1%
49. 49Pied-billed Grebe8.4%
50. 50Gray Catbird8.2%
51. 51American Coot8.2%
52. 52American Herring Gull8.0%
53. 53Winter Wren7.9%
54. 54Bald Eagle6.8%
55. 55Eastern Towhee6.8%
56. 56Lincoln's Sparrow6.8%
57. 57Yellow-bellied Sapsucker6.7%
58. 58Orange-crowned Warbler6.7%
59. 59Chipping Sparrow6.7%
60. 60Fox Sparrow6.5%