Birds of the Windy City

DISCOVER OVER 300 SPECIES RIGHT IN CHICAGO

the

Windy

City

Richard M. Daley, Mayor

Cover photograph of snowy owl at Montrose Point by Chicago birder Rob Curtis. Snowy owls regularly winter along Chicago’s lakefront.

BIRDS OF THE WINDY CITY

RICHARD M. DALEY, MAYOR

William F. Abolt, Commissioner

City of Chicago Department of Environment

David J. Doig, General Superintendent

Chicago Park District

John Rogner, Field Supervisor

USDI Fish and Wildlife Service

Christine Lee, President

Chicago Audubon Society

CONTENTS

CHICAGO’S BIRD LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

HABITATS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

WHAT YOU CAN DO – cats, windows, landscaping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

BIRDS OF CHICAGO CHECKLIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

CALENDAR – a year of birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

RESOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

DEAR FRIENDS,

Bird life is one of Chicago’s great natural wonders.

Working with community groups and conservation

organizations, the City has made critical

improvements to bird habitats in Lincoln Park’s

North Pond, the Addison Bird Sanctuary, Jackson

Park, Gompers Park, North Park Village, South

Shore Cultural Center and Montrose Point. The

Calumet region, home to many rare birds, is the

next frontier of preservation and rehabilitation by the

City and State of Illinois. In these places and many

others, Chicagoans can find the excitement and

inspiration of the natural world.

Chicago is a city that protects nature. From the Lake

Michigan shoreline and the Chicago River to our

parks and open spaces, Chicago’s natural areas add

significantly to the quality of life. I hope you will use

this booklet as a passport to the world of local bird

life.

By working together as stewards for all our green

spaces, we can make sure that birds continue to

migrate through Chicago or make their homes here

–

providing enjoyment and an improved

environment for ourselves and future generations to

enjoy.

Sincerely,

Mayor

Mayor Richard M. Daley signed the Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds with U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service Director Jamie Rappaport Clark on March 25, 2000. The peregrine falcon (Chicago’s Official City Bird)

and her handler look on.

2 BIRDS OF THE WINDY CITY

short-eared owl

LIITA FORSYTH

eally. Rare, beautiful birds can be found in Chicago throughout the year. Some

pass through during migration. Others nest here, or spend the winter here.

Orioles, hummingbirds, falcons, tanagers, herons, cranes, woodpeckers,

sandpipers, cuckoos, owls and more … over 300 different species of birds. Some of

these birds are endangered, threatened or rare, and many are facing population declines

due to loss of habitat in the forests, wetlands and grasslands where they nest and in the

tropical landscapes where they winter. This booklet contains a sampling of Chicago’s bird

life and resources for learning more. Chicago is a great place to learn about birds and

become stewards for their survival.

Birds? Wild in the city?

Would you believe tanagers from the Amazon –

and snowy owls from the Arctic?

Where? Just on the very outskirts of town?

Everywhere. Everywhere there are trees. In every neighborhood with flower gardens. In

your local park. Wherever you live and work, there are a few fine birds right outside

your window. About seven million birds pass through every year.

During some months, particularly May and September, birds blanket the city as they

stop to rest on their migratory journeys. They search for food and shelter wherever they

can find it.

Why are they in Chicago?

The green spaces in Chicago are very important to them. As they fly north along the

Mississippi flyway, birds are squeezed between Lake Michigan to our east and open

farmland to our west and south. Some birds need trees; others need shrubs and flowers.

The city has a lot more variety than cornfields. To re-fuel on migration, birds find what

they need right here in the parks, gardens, wetlands, prairies and wooded neigh-

borhoods of Chicago. Nesting birds use the greenery of every neighborhood and a few

learn to use man-made structures, like the peregrine falcons that nest on skyscrapers in

the Loop.

Why is this important?

Making our city a healthy place for birds improves our quality of life.

These birds need us

–

to provide sustenance and shelter on their journey and to protect their

nesting grounds. And we need them. Birds are a part of the natural web of life. They provide clues

to scientists about the health of the environment for all of us. Pondering birds’ behavior

connects us with the mystery and power of the natural world, right here in the city. Their

habitats make our city more beautiful.

“IF I COULDN’T WATCH BIRDS TO RELAX, I

DON’T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME.”

Luis Munoz, Chicago police detective, beats the

stress by going to Montrose Point and enjoying

nature. His buddies at the station house used to

joke about it

–

but now, more often, they’re asking

him to identify some unusual birds they’ve seen.

“Now that the Park District has allowed taller

vegetation to grow up at Montrose Point, I see a lot

more rabbits

–

and a lot more hawks chasing

them.” Among his favorite birds is the short-eared

owl, a bird of wide-open prairie, which stops here to

hunt for a day or two on migration.

4 BIRDS OF THE WINDY CITY

Chicago…habitat for wildlife and people

ess than 200 years ago, Chicago was mostly prairie and wetland, with some

woodland, river and beach. Prairie birds like the bobolink, upland sandpiper,

Wilson’s phalarope and short-eared owl were common then. Today there are no

sizeable prairies in Chicago, so these birds only pass through.

Chicago has a different landscape now, and different bird species are common.

Many of them once lived in the brushy edges between prairie and woods. The cardinal,

robin and mourning dove, for example. But the birds of the forest, prairie and marsh

still live in protected areas on the outskirts of our city.

Wetlands

The Calumet area contains some of the marshes that once covered much of Chicago.

In the spring and summer, you may hear the deep “ungk-a-chunk” call of the American

bittern or the gurgling of the marsh wren. Perhaps you’ll see the endangered black-

crowned night-heron. Ducks, shorebirds, rails, grebes and egrets are some other

wetland birds. Right in the city’s wetlands, they nest and raise young.

Lake Michigan provides food for many species of diving ducks and gulls in

winter.

In spring and fall, migration in lakefront parks can be spectacular, and over 100

different kinds of birds can sometimes be found in a day. At the Chicago River,

kingfishers, gulls, herons and ducks can be found.

Ponds and lagoons, such as those in a local park, have some of the same birds as

other wetlands but in smaller numbers.

oak woodland

LIITA FORSYTH

Woodlands and savannas

In the city’s forest preserves, and at North Park Village Nature Center, some of our

original oak woodlands remain. These woods fill with migrants in the spring and fall.

During the summer, you may find a very noisy hole in a tree

–

the nest of one of our

five local woodpecker species. Bright blue indigo buntings, mournful sounding

peewees and sky-dancing woodcocks are some other birds that nest in Chicago’s

open woodlands. The Cooper’s hawk, just removed from the endangered list due to its

successful comeback, nests here as well.

City neighborhoods

Parks, yards, city streets: all have plantings that may be used by birds. During spring

and fall, migrants blanket the city and make the most of every bit of green. A kinglet or

warbler may be found in any bush, a white-throated sparrow scratching in any

weedy spot. Common birds nest in parks and yards

–

cardinals in dense shrubbery,

house wrens in bird houses and mourning doves in trees.

Even Chicago’s skyscrapers have birds: two species that traditionally nest on cliffs

–

the peregrine falcon (our Official City Bird) and one of its favorite foods, the pigeon. House

sparrows and starlings also like to nest in man-made nooks and crannies.

“I LOVE NORTH PARK VILLAGE NATURE

CENTER BECAUSE IT HAS A VARIETY OF

HABITATS.” Birding is a satisfying

pastime for Caitlin Lill of Norwood

Park. When she is observing nature,

she works hard at being patient. Her

reward is interesting sightings

–

such

as a migrating redstart, which Caitlin

called “the butterfly warbler” when she

was younger. She was one of the first to spot a

coyote at the nature center. Her father, avid birder Joe

Lill, has taken her and brother Jacob to the nature

center since they were in baby backpacks. Says Joe:

“People are so surprised by the birds you can see in

our city. You don’t have to go to Canada. I love to

show this to my family and others. I’m amazed at how

much I didn’t see the first 30 years of my life, before I

began watching birds.”

American redstart

DAVID ATHANS

6 BIRDS OF THE WINDY CITY

How can I welcome birds into my neighborhood?

Plan a wildlife garden — follow these simple steps:

1 - Use layers of plants with different heights to create a varied structure.

Each layer supports different bird species.

•

tall canopy trees

•

shrubs

•

shorter understory trees

•

groundcover of flowers and grasses

2 - Plant local native species. Birds evolved with our native plants, and know how

to use them for shelter and food. Planting a good variety of natives is an excellent way

to recreate the conditions these birds need. Some horticultural species also make good

habitat.

3 - Plant a good variety. Choose a mix of plants that will offer food sources

throughout the seasons.

4 - Limit pesticide use. Insecticides kill beneficial insects that birds eat and may

affect birds’ health. Don’t use “broad spectrum” insecticides or fertilizer/pesticide

combinations.

5 - Get natural. Don’t be too neat. Leave dead stalks with seeds on them standing

through the winter. Let the leaves stay under your shrubs and trees. Make a little brush

pile of fallen limbs. Birds find food in all these places.

6 - Keep predators in balance. Don’t feed raccoons, opossums, crows and

squirrels. They eat birds’ eggs and nestlings (baby birds). Keep them away by being

careful about where you put dog food, compost heaps or even birdseed. And

remember to keep a lid on your garbage.

downy woodpecker

DENIS KANIA

song sparrow

WALTER MARCISZ

Protect birds from hazards

1. Keep your cat indoors. Across the U.S., cats kill hundreds of millions of birds a year. Cats with

bells and well-fed cats DO kill birds.

2. Modify dangerous windows. Large, reflective windows often trick and kill or injure birds. They

may see reflected trees or the windows may be so clear that they think they can fly through. If you

have a window like this, try one of these solutions during the migration season:

•

Cover windows with netting or hang ribbons or other material in strips on the outside.

•

Draw drapes and close blinds during migration.

•

Hang hawk silhouettes of aluminum or wood. Moving images deter birds more effectively.

•

When installing new windows, angle them downward or use tinted windows or exterior blinds.

•

Place bird feeders less than one yard or more than three yards away from the window.

•

Cover window with spray starch to reduce reflections.

Birds need your help, especially during migration,

when they are tired and hungry and simply need to

rest, refuel and head out again.

8 BIRDS OF THE WINDY CITY

Which plants attract birds?

o see a lot of different birds, plant a lot of different plants! Choose plants that will

produce flowers, seeds and fruit across the seasons, and that leaf out at

different times.

Flowers provide nectar. Some trees that flower in May, like cherries, fill with

warblers and orioles. Hummingbirds like orange or red tubular flowers, such as

columbine or jewelweed.

Grasses and wildflowers provide seeds. The composite family

–

those with

daisy-like flowers such as sunflowers– are well used by birds. Those with large

seeds will often have chickadees and goldfinches hanging from the seed heads.

Short prairie grasses like little bluestem are other favorites.

Shrubs and trees host caterpillars and other insects, favorite foods of migrants

and baby birds. Oaks and elms in particular are important to insect-eating warblers in spring.

Some woody plants such as hawthorn, spicebush and virginia creeper provide berries in the

fall. Dense shrubs and small trees are favorite places for hidden nests.

There are many good books about plants that attract wildlife. Be sure to choose plants that will

survive our cold winters and hot summers. See the resource guide on pages 16-18 for more

ideas and assistance.

cardinal

LESLIE DECOURCEY

little bluestem

“I WANT THESE BIRDS TO BE HEALTHY

AND TO PROTECT THEM FOR THE

FUTURE.” Wildlife and nature have fascinated 15-

year-old Blake Lenoir since grade school. Three

years ago, he began to transform his

South Chicago backyard into a wildlife

sanctuary. He read everything he

could get his hands on about

landscaping for wildlife, and then

spent his allowance on over a dozen

shrubs, native wildflowers, and a bird feeder. He likes

to sit and watch the birds that come to his feeder, like

red-winged blackbirds, song sparrows and house

finches. His favorite is the cardinal.

Some plants from Blake’s garden: false

sunflower, purple coneflower, black-eyed susan,

blazing star, viburnum, inkberry, crabapple, and

sand cherry.

“A FLOCK OF WHITE-THROATED

SPARROWS SPENDS A FEW FALL DAYS IN

THIS PARKING LOT … the peregrine falcon

hangs out on this corner.” Walk through the Loop with

attorney Ken Wysocki and you’re seeing birds

everywhere. His most amazing sighting was a yellow

rail (a secretive, rare marsh bird) under a parked car in

the Loop near Wells and Monroe Streets.

Birds often become confused by skyscraper lights

and crash into buildings. “These birds might have come

a thousand miles or have a thousand miles to go —

they hit a building here and it’s all over for them.” Ken

provided information for the Mayor’s Wildlife and Nature

Committee’s “Lights Out!” program. Concerned building

owners and managers responded to the call to dim

their lights during migration season

–

saving

thousands of birds. Now we have a subdued, safer

skyline in spring and fall. “We may need to help save

the rainforest too. But this is something that makes a

difference right here.”

yellow rail

DENIS KANIA

Lights Out!

Chicago is the

first U.S. city to

dim bright lights

on skyscrapers

during migration

season to protect

birds.

10 BIRDS OF THE WINDY CITY

Challenge #1: See how many of these

year-round resident birds you can find

on a walk through neighborhood streets

and parks.

❑

Mallard

❑

Canada goose

❑

Ring-billed gull

❑

Pigeon (also called rock dove)

❑

Mourning dove

❑

Downy woodpecker

❑

American crow

❑

Blue jay

❑

European starling

❑

Black-capped chickadee

❑

Northern cardinal

❑

House finch

❑

House sparrow

Challenge #2: See how many of these

local nesting birds you can find in one

summer.

❑

Black-crowned night-heron – marsh

❑

Great blue heron – marsh

❑

Killdeer – patch of gravel

❑

Belted kingfisher – river bank

❑

Common nighthawk – flat roof

❑

Chimney swift – chimney!!

❑

Northern flicker – hole in tree

❑

Barn swallow – under a bridge

❑

Eastern kingbird – evergreen tree

❑

House wren – backyard birdhouse

❑

Red-winged blackbird – wet spot

in a park

❑

Indigo bunting – woods

❑

Song sparrow – shrubs near water

Challenge #3: Visit some of the spots

on the map (pg.12) to find examples of

these types of spring and fall migrants.

❑

Diving ducks (for example,

mergansers)

❑

Sandpipers

❑

Hawks

❑

Kinglets

❑

Thrushes

❑

Warblers

❑

Flycatchers

❑

Sparrows

Venture Out into the Wilds of Chicago

Over 300 different kinds of birds can be found in Chicago,

at different times of the year:

• YEAR ROUND RESIDENTS

• SUMMER NESTERS

• SPRING AND FALL MIGRANTS

• WINTER VISITORS

ere are three challenges to encourage you to experience the

amazing variety of Chicago’s birds. You may want to note the date

and place you find each bird. You’ll need a field guide

–

from a library or

bookstore. Binoculars will help you identify and enjoy birds. To order a

checklist of all Chicago’s birds, see page 16.

JANUARY Winter ducks like the goldeneye

and merganser and unusual gulls from the

north can be found in open water. Check the

Chicago River at Bubbly Creek along South

Ashland or the turning basin near Diversey, the

Lake Calumet area or the lakefront.

MARCH Migration begins in

earnest. Red-winged blackbirds

return to parks. Watch for large

flocks overhead at the lakefront in

the mornings

–

you might see a

meadowlark with them. The fluttering

courtship flight of the woodcocks can

be seen in natural areas such as

Bunker Hill Forest Preserve. Towhees scratch

in dead leaves. Great flocks of sandhill cranes

bugle overhead.

FEBRUARY Birds

that winter here, like the

tiny screech owl, battle the

cold for survival. Listen for

local resident birds like the

cardinal, mourning dove and

house finch to begin singing. The “dawn chorus” will

grow in volume and variety as the spring

–

and the

migrants

–

begin to arrive.

JULY The deep looping flight and “per-chick-

or-ree” call of the goldfinch over a field signal that

our season’s latest-nesting bird is starting to

breed. As other adult birds

are teaching their

young to fly, some of the

first fall migrants come

through; shorebirds heading

south can be found in local

wetlands from July first

onward.

AUGUST

Fall comes early

for birds. They are

fattening up for the difficult migration ahead.

Swallows mass at Montrose Point, blackbirds

fill the wetlands, herons fan out into ponds and

rivers. Late in the month, flocks of nighthawks

soar south along the lakefront. Watch at dusk

for scores of chimney swifts vanishing into a tall

chimney to roost. Ducks molt into a special drab

“eclipse” plumage this month and hide,

temporarily earthbound as they grow new flight

feathers.

SEPTEMBER Migration happens in

reverse, with warblers, vireos and thrushes

leading the other landbirds. This is a great time to

visit one of the Chicago Park District’s bird

sanctuaries like the Paul H. Douglas Nature

Sanctuary at Wooded

Island

(see map). On cold

early September nights

the bell-like notes

of thrushes fill the

Chicago’s year in birds

14 BIRDS OF THE WINDY CITY...HERRING GULL, KILLDEER, SCREECH OWL, BARN SWALLOWS, MEADOWLARK, PINE WARBLER, BELTED KI

NGFISHER,

APRIL More migrants arrive: kinglets,

flickers, creepers, phoebes and others show

up in every available green space. Loons,

hawks, swans, owls and kingfishers fly north

along the lakefront. Twenty-six species of

ducks can be found in bodies of

water. Herons build their

rookeries along 122nd

St west of Torrence

and in Lake Calumet’s Big

Marsh. Eighteen species of native

sparrow rummage under plantings in

places like Grant Park.

JUNE The last few migrants dribble through,

and summer residents are busy making nests,

laying eggs and gathering food for their young.

This is a great time to quietly observe a nest by

watching where a bird brings the food it collects

for its young.

MAY Migrants from the tropics pour through

the city

–

warblers, orioles, tanagers,

thrushes, cuckoos, hummingbirds and many

more. Listen for their tiny “chip” calls overhead

at night and observe their bright colors and

varied songs in parks and gardens everywhere.

May is the peak of mating displays, chasing and

nest building by our resident birds. Watch a

barn swallow build its mud nest under a bridge.

NOVEMBER Winter diving ducks return to

the lake, and juncos and tree sparrows show up

in yards and parks. Rarities show up often in

this month but most migrants have passed

through.

OCTOBER Sparrows, kinglets,

creepers, sapsuckers and others

are accompanied south by a

stream of hawks and falcons

who prey on them.

Marshes fill with dabbling

ducks.

DECEMBER

Seeds of grasses

and wildflowers, and

dried fruit on shrubs

and trees are the main

food of most small birds

in winter.

AMERICAN KESTREL, SPRING WARBLERS, COMMON GOLDENEYE & RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, PIED-BILLED GREBE, DOWNY WOODPECKER

16 BIRDS OF THE WINDY CITY

he organizations that protect birds

and educate people about them are

as diverse as the types of birds that pass

through our City.

BIRD CLUBS

Bird clubs present informative programs, publish

newsletters and conduct birding field trips

throughout the year. Non-members and beginners

are always welcome.

CHICAGO AUDUBON SOCIETY

(773) 539-6793;

www.audubon.org/chapter/il/chicago

CAS sells a checklist of the birds of Chicago. It

holds regular bird walks: North Park Village -

Saturdays in April, May, September, October from 8-

10 am;

Wooded Island (meet at the bridge on the other

side of the lagoon behind the Museum of Science

and Industry) - Saturdays, April - December, 8 am

and Wednesdays, April-December, 7 am.

CHICAGO ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY (COS)

(312) 409-9678;

www.chicagobirder.org

COS leads regular bird walks at North Pond (west

of Cannon Drive, north of Fullerton) on Wednesday

mornings at 7 am. Weekly from mid-March to mid-

June and from mid-August to mid-November.

Join the Flock!

FORT DEARBORN CHAPTER OF THE ILLINOIS

AUDUBON SOCIETY

(847) 675-3622

Fort Dearborn has led regular bird walks for 24 years

at Lincoln Park Zoo. Every Tuesday, Thursday and

Sunday in April, May, September and October. Meet

at 8:30 am in front of the birdhouse.

LOCAL CONSERVATION

ORGANIZATIONS

CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT

(312) 744-7606;

Nature Chicago Hotline: (312) 744-1821;

www.cityofchicago.org/environment

The Department of Environment (DOE) is

responsible for the rehabilitation of Chicago’s natural

areas

wetlands and prairies

and Lake Michigan

shoreline protection.

DOE’S NORTH PARK VILLAGE NATURE CENTER

5801 N. Pulaski Road, Chicago; (312) 744-5472

The City’s North Park Village Nature Center provides

urban citizens with an opportunity to interact with

wildlife, plants, and other natural resources through

environmental education and access to natural

landscapes. The Chicago chapter of the Wild Ones

natural gardeners meets here.

barn swallows

LESLIE DeCOURCEY

CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT

(312) 742-PLAY; www.chicagoparkdistrict.com

Our parks are home to a surprising variety of birds,

butterflies and insects, small mammals and aquatic

animals. From wildlife gardens in neighborhood

parks to nature sanctuaries around the larger

lagoons, they provide a window to the natural world.

Come explore.

BIRD CONSERVATION NETWORK

(847) 965-1150; www.iit.edu/~cos/BCN

A coalition of 17 Chicago area birding organizations

which promotes the conservation of bird habitat in

our region. Volunteers are needed to monitor bird

populations and to advocate for improved habitat.

Landscaping guidelines and plant lists available.

AUDUBON OF THE CHICAGO REGION

(847) 965-1150; www.habitatproject.org

Projects include bird (and frog and plant and

butterfly) monitoring, and community stewardship of

bird habitat throughout the Chicago region.

FIELD MUSEUM

(312) 665-7909; www.fmnh.org

The Field Museum is an international center for

public learning and scientific study of the world’s

diverse environments and cultures, with an

outstanding collection of birds.

THE PEGGY NOTEBAERT NATURE MUSEUM

(773) 871-2668; www.chias.org

The Chicago Academy of Science’s Museum

specializes in the ecology and natural history of the

Midwest.

PRINT AND ELECTRONIC

RESOURCES

Bookstores, libraries and museum gift shops

contain field guides and books about local nature

and landscaping for birds and wildlife.

If you are purchasing your first field guide, you have

many good choices. One great resource for

beginners is Birds of Chicago by Chris C. Fisher and

David B. Johnson (Lone Pine Publishers, Canada,

1998). You may want to check out field guides that

specialize in the birds of the eastern states, such as

Peterson, National Audubon Society or Stokes.

There are many excellent tapes and CDs which can

help you to learn birds’ songs and calls.

To receive Big City Birds, a free flyer about Chicago’s

20 most common birds, contact Openlands Project

at (312) 427-4256.

If you want to travel a bit beyond city boundaries, try

A Birder’s Guide to the Chicago Region by Lynne

Carpenter and Joel Greenberg (Northern Illinois

University Press, DeKalb, Illinois, 1999).

Illinois Ornithological Society publishes Meadowlark,

a journal of Illinois bird distribution, identification,

ecology and conservation. PO. Box 931; Lake Forest,

IL 60045; www.chias.org/ios

“IT’S SO BIG!” Stephen Gordon, Fredricka Jones,

Melvin Pearson and Derryan Ryce are observing a

great blue heron flying along the Little Calumet

River, which runs behind their school, Carver

Primary in Altgeld Gardens. Their teacher, Sue

Friscia, combines her love of birds with encouraging

activities for her students. She convinced the owner

of these 20 garbage-filled and neglected acres to

donate the land to the school and

has introduced hundreds of kids

to the rich bird life found here in a

remnant of the once-great

wetlands of the Calumet area.

Last year, the kids found a rare yellow-crowned

night heron in a big puddle full of old tires. Sue

dreams of some day putting in a wetland trail and a

woodland trail for the school community to enjoy.

great blue heron

DAVID ATHANS

18 BIRDS OF THE WINDY CITY

Chicago WILDERNESS is a quarterly magazine full of

handy tips on places to go, things to see and do,

information and inspiration about Chicago area

nature. (847) 965-9253;

www.chicagowildernessmag.org

You can certify your backyard habitat by contacting

the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program:

National Wildlife Federation; 1400 16th Ave N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20036;

(202) 797-6800; www.nwf.org.

Good brochures about which plants to use in our

area when landscaping for wildlife are published by

the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the US

Fish and Wildlife Service in Barrington and the Max

McGraw Wildlife Foundation in Dundee.

Another good resource is The Audubon Backyard

Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens by Robert

Burton and Stephen W. Kress.

WEB SITES AND LISTSERVES:

LANDSCAPING FOR WILDLIFE:

www.epa.gov/greenacres is the local EPA site on

native landscaping and a great place to start.

It’s complete and has good links.

BIRDING:

Urs Geiser’s Illinois and Chicago Net-Birding at

http://home.xnet.com/~ugeiser/Birds/Birding.html

has information about birds, events and birding

organizations in the area.

www.birdsource.org, a collaboration of Cornell

Laboratory of Ornithology and Audubon, has

research projects that citizens can get involved in,

such as the Great Backyard Bird Count and Project

FeederWatch.

www.fws.gov, the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service

site, has practical information about birds and bird

habitat.

KEEPING CATS INDOORS:

www.abcbirds.org/cats/catsindoors.htm

E-MAIL LISTSERVES:

There are two listserves for Chicago area birders.

IBET has lively discussions about bird sightings,

behavior and identification; see the COS website

(pg.16) to join. BCNnet is a great information source

about local conservation issues and bird ecology;

see the BCN web page (pg.17).

bobolink

LIITA FORSYTH

THE URBAN CONSERVATI0N TREATY FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS was signed on March 25,

2000 by the City of Chicago’s Mayor Richard M. Daley and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s

Director Jamie Rappaport Clark. The treaty provides for new policies, programs and habitats for

Chicago’s migratory birds. The treaty provisions were planned and implemented by the

following partners:

American Bird Conservancy

Audubon of the Chicago Region

Bird Conservation Network

Brookfield Zoo

Chicago Academy of Sciences

Chicago Audubon Society

Chicago Ornithological Society

Chicago Park District

Chicago Public Library

City of Chicago Department of Environment

Field Museum of Natural History

Fort Dearborn Chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society

Friends of the Chicago River

Friends of the Parks

Illinois Natural History Survey

Jackson Park Advisory Council

Lakeview Citizens’ Council

Lincoln Park Advisory Council

Lincoln Park Zoo

Mayor’s Landscape Executive Task Force

Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority

Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission

Openlands Project

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

South Shore Advisory Council

The Nature Conservancy

USDI Fish and Wildlife Service

WRITTEN by Judy Pollock, Audubon of the Chicago Region

EDITED by members of the Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds

partnership

ILLUSTRATIONS by local birders David Athans, Leslie DeCourcey,

Denis Kania, Walter Marcisz and Brian Willis are reproduced from

Meadowlark, A Journal of Illinois Birds with permission from the

Illinois Ornithological Society

MAP by Mark Linday

INTERIOR PHOTOS by Liita Forsyth

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For generously providing resources and suggestions:

Alan Anderson, Chicago Audubon Society; Mayor Daley’s Landscape Advisory Task

Force, Nature and Wildlife Committee; Sheryl De Vore, Meadowlark; Terry Schilling, Bird

Conservation Network; Debra Shore, Chicago Wilderness; Geoff Williamson, Chicago

Ornithological Society

FUNDING for this publication was provided by the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service

through the Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds.

killdeer

BRIAN WILLIS

American kestrel

DENIS KANIA

downy woodpecker

DENIS KANIA

Birds are nature’s voice to humans.

JOHN FITZPATRICK