Winter Birds in Illinois

Percent of complete checklists in Illinois that reported the bird during these weeks, 2016–2025 (275,281 checklists). It shows how likely you are to list the bird, not how many there are. Methods.

1. 1Northern Cardinal49%
2. 2Dark-eyed Junco46%
3. 3Canada Goose44%
4. 4Downy Woodpecker41%
5. 5House Sparrow37%
6. 6Black-capped Chickadee36%
7. 7Red-bellied Woodpecker34%
8. 8Mallard31%
9. 9American Crow30%
10. 10White-breasted Nuthatch30%
11. 11Blue Jay29%
12. 12European Starling28%
13. 13Mourning Dove28%
14. 14American Goldfinch26%
15. 15House Finch26%
16. 16American Robin24%
17. 17American Tree Sparrow20%
18. 18Ring-billed Gull20%
19. 19Red-tailed Hawk18%
20. 20Common Goldeneye17%
21. 21American Herring Gull15%
22. 22Hairy Woodpecker14%
23. 23White-throated Sparrow14%
24. 24Tufted Titmouse13%
25. 25Bald Eagle11%
26. 26Common Merganser11%

• Red-winged Blackbirdfirst arrivals late February, peaks mid May
• Brown-headed Cowbirdfirst arrivals mid February, peaks early May
• Common Gracklefirst arrivals the second week of February, peaks mid May
• Killdeerfirst arrivals the second week of February, peaks the second week of August
• Turkey Vulturefirst arrivals late January, peaks the second week of April
• Wood Duckfirst arrivals mid February, peaks the second week of April
• Eastern Towheefirst arrivals mid January, peaks late April
• Eastern Meadowlarkfirst arrivals mid February, peaks the second week of June
• Pied-billed Grebefirst arrivals late February, peaks early April
• Sandhill Cranefirst arrivals the second week of February, peaks the second week of March
• Green-winged Tealfirst arrivals early February, peaks mid March
• Horned Grebefirst arrivals late February, peaks late March

• Golden-crowned Kingletmost gone by early January
• Hermit Thrushmost gone by the second week of January
• Pied-billed Grebemost gone by the second week of December
• Sandhill Cranemost gone by the second week of December
• Winter Wrenmost gone by the second week of January
• Lincoln's Sparrowmost gone by early January
• Orange-crowned Warblermost gone by the second week of January
• Bonaparte's Gullmost gone by the second week of January
• Snow Buntingmost gone by the second week of December

27. 27Red-breasted Merganser9.4%
28. 28Song Sparrow9.3%
29. 29Red-winged Blackbird9.1%
30. 30Carolina Wren8.8%
31. 31Northern Flicker8.8%
32. 32Rock Pigeon8.7%
33. 33Great Blue Heron6.6%
34. 34Red-breasted Nuthatch6.5%
35. 35Cooper's Hawk5.8%
36. 36Hooded Merganser5.7%
37. 37Eastern Bluebird5.3%
38. 38Carolina Chickadee5.3%
39. 39Bufflehead5.2%
40. 40Brown Creeper4.8%
41. 41American Kestrel4.8%
42. 42Belted Kingfisher4.7%
43. 43Gadwall4.4%
44. 44Redhead4.1%
45. 45Northern Harrier3.8%
46. 46Greater White-fronted Goose3.8%
47. 47Lesser Scaup3.8%
48. 48Greater Scaup3.5%
49. 49American Coot3.4%
50. 50Red-headed Woodpecker3.3%
51. 51Ring-necked Duck3.3%
52. 52Common Grackle3.2%
53. 53Red-shouldered Hawk3.2%
54. 54Mute Swan3.2%
55. 55Pine Siskin3.1%
56. 56Pileated Woodpecker3.0%
57. 57Snow Goose3.0%

58. 58American Black Duck2.9%
59. 59Horned Lark2.7%
60. 60Fox Sparrow2.7%