WhenToBird

Birding spot · Mason County, Illinois

Birding at Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge: What You'll See Each Week

In November, the birds most often reported at Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge are Canada Goose (94%), Mallard (94%), and Northern Shoveler (92%). It is busiest in summer, when 109 species turn up on at least 1 in 20 checklists, and species counts peak in the second week of May (124 species). 234 species have been reported here across 1,092 complete checklists from 401 birders.

Species by week

0255075100125Jan 1-7: low data (8 checklists)Jan 8-14: low data (7 checklists)Jan 15-21: low data (4 checklists)Jan 22-31: low data (4 checklists)Feb 1-7: 48 species on 5%+ of 11 checklistsFeb 8-14: 54 species on 5%+ of 16 checklistsFeb 15-21: 46 species on 5%+ of 12 checklistsFeb 22-28: 67 species on 5%+ of 19 checklistsMar 1-7: 52 species on 5%+ of 23 checklistsMar 8-14: 62 species on 5%+ of 10 checklistsMar 15-21: 54 species on 5%+ of 15 checklistsMar 22-31: 49 species on 5%+ of 22 checklistsApr 1-7: low data (5 checklists)Apr 8-14: low data (5 checklists)Apr 15-21: low data (9 checklists)Apr 22-30: 73 species on 5%+ of 11 checklistsMay 1-7: low data (9 checklists)May 8-14: 124 species on 5%+ of 17 checklistsMay 15-21: 95 species on 5%+ of 17 checklistsMay 22-31: 80 species on 5%+ of 24 checklistsJun 1-7: 107 species on 5%+ of 14 checklistsJun 8-14: low data (9 checklists)Jun 15-21: low data (9 checklists)Jun 22-30: 92 species on 5%+ of 11 checklistsJul 1-7: 101 species on 5%+ of 18 checklistsJul 8-14: 104 species on 5%+ of 19 checklistsJul 15-21: 111 species on 5%+ of 52 checklistsJul 22-31: 96 species on 5%+ of 57 checklistsAug 1-7: 101 species on 5%+ of 55 checklistsAug 8-14: 94 species on 5%+ of 69 checklistsAug 15-21: 99 species on 5%+ of 66 checklistsAug 22-31: 103 species on 5%+ of 199 checklistsSep 1-7: 96 species on 5%+ of 55 checklistsSep 8-14: 95 species on 5%+ of 29 checklistsSep 15-21: 79 species on 5%+ of 22 checklistsSep 22-30: 95 species on 5%+ of 34 checklistsOct 1-7: 64 species on 5%+ of 10 checklistsOct 8-14: 69 species on 5%+ of 21 checklistsOct 15-21: low data (9 checklists)Oct 22-31: 71 species on 5%+ of 10 checklistsNov 1-7: 87 species on 5%+ of 16 checklistsNov 8-14: low data (8 checklists)Nov 15-21: 62 species on 5%+ of 10 checklistsNov 22-30: 75 species on 5%+ of 14 checklistsDec 1-7: low data (5 checklists)Dec 8-14: low data (6 checklists)Dec 15-21: low data (2 checklists)Dec 22-31: 57 species on 5%+ of 15 checklistsJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Number of species reported on at least 5% of complete checklists, by week (4 per month). Grey bars: fewer than 10 checklists, not counted.

In November: what to expect

  1. 1Canada Goose94%
  2. 2Mallard94%
  3. 3Northern Shoveler92%
  4. 4Gadwall81%
  5. 5Green-winged Teal81%
  6. 6Bald Eagle73%
  7. 7Ruddy Duck73%
  8. 8Northern Pintail71%
  9. 9American Goldfinch67%
  10. 10Song Sparrow65%
  11. 11Red-bellied Woodpecker58%
  12. 12Northern Harrier56%
  13. 13Ring-billed Gull56%
  14. 14Swamp Sparrow56%
  15. 15Bufflehead54%

Share of complete checklists at this spot that reported the bird in November. The sparkline is the whole year, with this month highlighted.

Season by season

Winter 53 species

  1. Canada Goose80%
  2. Mallard76%
  3. Trumpeter Swan72%
  4. Greater White-fronted Goose68%
  5. Snow Goose68%

Spring 84 species

  1. Red-winged Blackbird81%
  2. Canada Goose71%
  3. Ruddy Duck70%
  4. American Robin63%
  5. American Coot62%

Summer 109 species

  1. Killdeer83%
  2. Ring-billed Gull81%
  3. Great Egret78%
  4. American White Pelican77%
  5. Canada Goose76%

Fall 103 species

  1. Canada Goose85%
  2. Ring-billed Gull73%
  3. Northern Shoveler68%
  4. Green-winged Teal67%
  5. American Goldfinch66%

Specialties

Birds reported far more often here than across Illinois.

Nearby spots

Frequency is the share of complete checklists at this location that listed the bird, 2016–2025. Busy places report more of everything, and the weekly chart counts species on at least 5% of checklists so a few stray reports do not inflate it. How to read it.