Wildlife in Illinois

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

400,992

recent observations

30

species listed

11

birds

9

insects & arthropods

6

plants

Naturalists have logged 400,992 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in Illinois. The most frequently seen is the Common Eastern Bumble Bee, with 26,016 recorded sightings.

Birds account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (11 of the species listed here), followed by insects & arthropods (9).

🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species in Illinois

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Bombus impatiens

26,016 observations

Danaus plexippus

23,491 observations

Brown-belted Bumble Bee

Bombus griseocollis

19,838 observations

Passer domesticus

19,472 observations

Turdus migratorius

18,824 observations

Branta canadensis

18,367 observations

Anas platyrhynchos

18,075 observations

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

16,808 observations

Western Honey Bee

16,697 observations

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

16,084 observations

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

14,374 observations

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

13,781 observations

common milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

13,236 observations

prairie trillium

Trillium recurvatum

11,011 observations

Podophyllum peltatum

10,991 observations

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

10,468 observations

Black Swallowtail

Papilio polyxenes

10,464 observations

Great Blue Heron

10,444 observations

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Xylocopa virginica

10,425 observations

Virginia Springbeauty

Claytonia virginica

10,354 observations

Asian Lady Beetle

Harmonia axyridis

10,032 observations

American Goldfinch

9,904 observations

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

9,458 observations

Two-spotted Bumble Bee

Bombus bimaculatus

9,417 observations

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

9,155 observations

Virginia bluebells

Mertensia virginica

9,075 observations

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus

8,939 observations

Zenaida macroura

8,709 observations

Anaxyrus americanus

8,587 observations

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

8,496 observations

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