Birding spots · Illinois
Best Birding Spots in Fulton County, Illinois
Thompson Lake (historical) leads Fulton County's birding spots with 219 species reported, best in spring. 11 spots in the county have enough data to rank.
Species counts are birds reported at least three times in that season at that spot, 2016–2025. Busy spots list more species simply because more people look, so compare the checklist counts. Spot names come from public map data and hotspot listings.
| Spot | Species | Winter | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson Lake (historical) | 219 | 74 | 187 | 132 | 140 |
| Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge (north) | 186 | 58 | 151 | 140 | 97 |
| Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge | 185 | 61 | 133 | 152 | 124 |
| Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area (Thompsons Lake (historical)) | 153 | 58 | 95 | 91 | 93 |
| Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge Fee | 143 | 44 | 115 | 97 | 59 |
| Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge Fee (north) | 127 | 35 | 94 | 65 | 57 |
| Dickson Mounds Museum | 122 | 25 | 93 | 70 | 60 |
| The Narrows | 104 | 35 | 53 | 58 | 30 |
| Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge (Dickson Creek) | 100 | 12 | 76 | 53 | 4 |
| Pond Lily Lake | 93 | 18 | 75 | 34 | 5 |
| Birding spot near Canton | 87 | 16 | 53 | 51 | 17 |