Classic’s Guide to Bird Watching in Illinois and Wisconsin

Jan 5, 2022

Get to know the local area birds and water fowl!

Today’s blog is Classic Auto Group’s guide to getting in touch with nature. That’s right, today we’re highlighting amazing sites to visit for bird watching. From a crash course in birds of Chicago, Lake County, and even Wisconsin, to guided tours for beginners and intermediate birders, and even open nature preserves and parks to explore on your own when you’re ready.

If you’re looking for a fun, rewarding pastime that gets you, your friends, and your family exploring the great outdoors, we’re here to help! Break free of the cabin-fever by enjoying a socially distanced walk on the wild side in the fresh air. Let’s spread our wings and try a new hobby!

How to Start “Birding” For Beginners

Gather a pen, pencil, journal, notebook, or even your tablet. You’ll need this to note your observations
Step outside in your own backyard, balcony, patio, or local park. Sit/stand quietly and observe your surroundings, note the time of day, the weather conditions. You may want a chair so you can get comfortable and stay awhile!
Listen closely to hear the sounds around you. Do you notice any birdsongs? Are there any hoots or squawks or screeches? Note them in your book underneath your other notations.
Take some snapshots of your surroundings or any birds you spot, and/or videos to record the sounds. You can use these to document your findings and verify your bird sightings later!
Now walk around the area, slowly. Observe the ground and see if you notice any footprints in the dirt, sand, dust, snow, or mud. Take a peek amongst the trees, foliage, underbrush, or potted plants and gardens for any stray feathers, broken eggshells, or other signs of nests. Note them in your book, and take photos if you are able. You can print the photos out later and add them to your book!
Now that you’ve practiced basic birding techniques, try to repeat your observations several times over the course of a week at different times of day and night. See how many new bird friends or signs you find as you go along.
If you’re not seeing any signs of birds just yet, don’t panic! You can try adding points of interest for your avian neighbours:
- Invest in a suet bird feeder which makes great options for winter food sources. You can even make your own suet cakes and suet refills!
- Add a suction-cup bird feeder to a window or windows of your dwelling. Fill them with different varieties of birdseed: black oil sunflower birdseed, black thistle birdseed, wild songbird birdseed.
- Place a hummingbird nectar feeder in your garden or on the balcony or near some natural wildflowers.
- Plant bird-friendly flowers for Northeast and herbs in your garden.
Observe how birds react to these feeders and plants, see if you attract any new varieties.
Keep your journal year round and compare bird patterns, varieties, and frequency of visits per season and time of day.

Common “Backyard Birds” in Illinois and Wisconsin

Depending on the season and time of day, these beautiful varieties of birds may be visible at different times. Some are up at dawn or dusk, some in the middle of the day, and others have migratory patterns based on the weather!

You can check with your local wildlife groups online, or the Audubon Society in your area. Here are some of the local birds to keep an eye out for. How many of these have you seen in your yard or around town?

Explore and Observe More Avian Friends At These Great Spots

Once you’ve practiced your observation skills, and you’ve catalogued a list of local birds, it’s time to get out there and explore! Here’s a list of excellent guided groups for novice birders to get their feet wet, or experienced birders looking for a little socializing.M Bring your birding log, binoculars, a camera equipped for distance shots and zoom, and your best walking shoes. Let’s go bird spotting with a local club!

Great Local Parks To Start Your Bird Watching Adventures

Once you’ve got your bird watching skills down pat from guided hikes, workshops, and classes, you can try your hand at your own observations. These parks and nature preserves are well-known spots for common bird observations as well as seasonal and rare sightings. Plus, if you’ve got the National Geographic energy going at top speed, you can observe a lot more than just avian pals at these locations. What other wildlife do you think you will see on your adventures?

Bird Watching is Fun for the Whole Family

Check out these great resources for kids, tweens, and teens to join in on the fun of bird watching! You’ll find bird watching and observation projects, log books, flashcards, illustrated and photographic guides, and more.