Wildlife near Chicago, Illinois

Here’s what naturalists are spotting near Chicago right now - pulled live from recent research-grade observations. Browse by group, explore the map, and identify what you find with Huck.

128,930

recent observations

30

species listed

16

birds

9

insects & arthropods

3

mammals

Naturalists have logged 128,930 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species near Chicago. The most frequently seen is the American Robin, with 7,450 recorded sightings.

Birds account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (16 of the species listed here), followed by insects & arthropods (9).

🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species near Chicago

Turdus migratorius

7,450 observations

Danaus plexippus

7,346 observations

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

7,106 observations

Anas platyrhynchos

6,637 observations

Branta canadensis

6,551 observations

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

6,343 observations

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Bombus impatiens

6,284 observations

Passer domesticus

5,848 observations

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

5,188 observations

common milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

4,708 observations

Black Swallowtail

Papilio polyxenes

4,703 observations

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

4,331 observations

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

4,099 observations

Western Honey Bee

4,082 observations

Great Blue Heron

3,947 observations

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

3,818 observations

American Goldfinch

3,348 observations

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

3,195 observations

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

3,170 observations

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

3,141 observations

Vanessa atalanta

3,081 observations

3,010 observations

Brown-belted Bumble Bee

Bombus griseocollis

2,973 observations

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

2,883 observations

Asian Lady Beetle

Harmonia axyridis

2,715 observations

Large Milkweed Bug

Oncopeltus fasciatus

2,694 observations

Dark-eyed Junco

2,638 observations

Two-spotted Bumble Bee

Bombus bimaculatus

2,571 observations

Virginia bluebells

Mertensia virginica

2,548 observations

Zenaida macroura

2,522 observations

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