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.

385,368

recent observations

30

species listed

11

birds

9

insects & arthropods

6

plants

Naturalists have logged 385,368 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in Illinois. The most frequently seen is the Common Eastern Bumble Bee, with 24,138 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

24,138 observations

Danaus plexippus

20,938 observations

Brown-belted Bumble Bee

Bombus griseocollis

19,414 observations

Turdus migratorius

18,598 observations

Branta canadensis

17,959 observations

Passer domesticus

17,834 observations

Anas platyrhynchos

17,771 observations

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

16,331 observations

Western Honey Bee

16,102 observations

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

15,711 observations

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

14,232 observations

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

13,367 observations

common milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

12,231 observations

Podophyllum peltatum

10,965 observations

prairie trillium

Trillium recurvatum

10,874 observations

Virginia Springbeauty

Claytonia virginica

10,173 observations

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

10,071 observations

Great Blue Heron

9,925 observations

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Xylocopa virginica

9,860 observations

Black Swallowtail

Papilio polyxenes

9,707 observations

Asian Lady Beetle

Harmonia axyridis

9,693 observations

American Goldfinch

9,498 observations

Two-spotted Bumble Bee

Bombus bimaculatus

9,339 observations

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

9,221 observations

Virginia bluebells

Mertensia virginica

9,065 observations

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

8,941 observations

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus

8,535 observations

Zenaida macroura

8,464 observations

Anaxyrus americanus

8,370 observations

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

8,041 observations

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