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.

Most-observed species near Chicago

Turdus migratorius

7,235 observations

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

6,979 observations

Danaus plexippus

6,648 observations

Anas platyrhynchos

6,510 observations

Branta canadensis

6,449 observations

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

6,124 observations

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Bombus impatiens

6,032 observations

Passer domesticus

5,681 observations

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

5,061 observations

Black Swallowtail

Papilio polyxenes

4,374 observations

common milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

4,295 observations

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

4,109 observations

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

3,987 observations

Western Honey Bee

3,856 observations

Great Blue Heron

3,772 observations

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

3,692 observations

American Goldfinch

3,212 observations

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

3,113 observations

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

3,086 observations

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

3,075 observations

Vanessa atalanta

2,872 observations

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

2,862 observations

2,855 observations

Dark-eyed Junco

2,625 observations

Brown-belted Bumble Bee

Bombus griseocollis

2,613 observations

Asian Lady Beetle

Harmonia axyridis

2,598 observations

Virginia bluebells

Mertensia virginica

2,544 observations

Large Milkweed Bug

Oncopeltus fasciatus

2,536 observations

Zenaida macroura

2,430 observations

2,422 observations · iNaturalist

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