Take flight: Try bird watching in your forest preserves

The following was written by Environmental Communications Specialist Brett Peto and provided by Kim Mikus. Illustrations by Lake County artist Samantha Gallagher.

At first light, a wetland at Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve in Grayslake stirs to life. Red-winged blackbirds trumpet “conk-la-REE-look-at-ME” songs from swaying cattails. Wood ducks tip forward to eat plants below the water’s surface, rear ends bobbing in the air. A great blue heron stands motionless onshore, amber-yellow eyes searching the shallows for tasty fish. The fresh smells of nature drift on a casual breeze as the landscape comes alive.

Birdwatching gives you front-row seats to these compelling scenes.

Birdy boom

In 2022, about 96 million Americans watched birds, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Spending on birding-related equipment and travel surpassed $107 billion. That’s more revenue than pet stores, movie theaters and all of book publishing combined.

During the pandemic, when many people’s worlds contracted to the boundaries of their homes, birdwatching was a soothing pursuit.

In 2020, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology received a record-breaking 2.1 million observations on Global Big Day, a birdwatching event held every May.

Retailers reported shortages of birdseed, feeders and baths. It’s easy to see why. Birds are active, colorful and captivating. Their variety and abundance make them more accessible than other animals.

The fact that birds aren’t constrained to the ground adds to their charm. A bird can be there one moment, gone the next. In eras defined by limits, birds represent limitlessness.

Experiencing that sense of freedom for yourself starts with simple tools.

Bird’s-eye view

With nearly 400 species documented, Lake County’s bird diversity is second only to Cook County in the Chicago region. Why do millions of birds live and visit here? Location, location, location.

The county’s position at the border between cooler, northern climates and warmer, southern climates attracts a blend of species. Lake Michigan creates unique shoreline habitats and milder microclimates.

Nearly 200 inland lakes, the Des Plaines and Fox rivers, prairies, savannas, woodlands and wetlands provide food and shelter for birds. Large tracts of land, such as those in your forest preserves, are needed to support certain species.

Some feathered friends, such as northern cardinals, stay put year-round. Resident birds eat seeds, nuts, insect larvae, mammals or other birds. Most of these food sources are available all year. Birds that eat seasonal foods — fruit, nectar or flying insects — typically head south for winter.

Many migrants pass through along the Mississippi Flyway, a major north-south flight path that brings incredible bird variety and abundance to Chicagoland each spring and fall.

Though less common, you may spot a vagrant, a bird that’s strayed far from its normal range. A Mexican violetear hummingbird, usually found in Mexican and Central American forests, visited a Mundelein home in 2021. Just one other observation of the species in Illinois was recorded in 2009.

Finding feathered friends

Ready to take flight with birdwatching? Bring a notebook or mobile device to take notes; a field guide to birds of the eastern U.S.; and a pair of 7- or 8-power binoculars. These make objects appear seven or eight times closer.

Purchase or borrow them from a friend, family member or library. Binoculars are available to borrow at the Ryerson Welcome Center (Riverwoods) during your visit.

To identify birds, focus first on GISS: General Impression, Size and Shape. Some birds are round. Others are sleek. Raptors can be 2-3 feet tall, hummingbirds 2-3 inches.

Think of recognizing a friend or family member at a distance. How do you pick them out from a crowd?

Listen, too. Birds produce two kinds of sounds: songs and calls.

Songs are longer, complex vocalizations used by adult males in breeding season to attract mates or defend territory. Calls are shorter, simpler sounds used year-round by both sexes to communicate other messages.

Combining sounds and GISS can guide you to solid identifications. The great horned owl’s “hoo, hoo-hoo, hoo, hoo” song is common, but the barred owl’s “who-cooks-for-you” call is distinct and heard less often.

Ear tufts are prominent on the great horned, while the barred has none.

• Kim Mikus is a communications specialist for the Lake County Forest Preserves. She writes a bimonthly column about various aspects of the preserves. Contact her with ideas or questions at kmikuscroke@LCFPD.org. Connect with the Lake County Forest Preserves on social media @LCFPD.

Practice better birdwatching

1. Avoid disturbing birds and their habitats. Stay on trails. Keep your distance from active nests, roosts, colonies and food sources. Use binoculars or scopes to look from afar. Be quiet, move slowly and limit flash photography. Don’t play recorded calls (playbacks) to lure birds.

2. Keep domestic cats indoors. Roaming cats are estimated to kill over 1 million birds per year in Chicagoland.

3. Prevent window strikes. Birds can’t distinguish between a reflection of a tree and the real thing. Window strikes often result in injury or death. Stickers, tape, poster paint or soap applied in grids or dots reduces collisions.

4. Think twice before broadcasting news about the location of a rare bird. Crowds can unintentionally stress or scare away the animal. Wait to share until after the bird has left the area.

5. Consider weather. On very hot or cold days, many birds rest to save energy. If disturbed, they’ll use precious calories to fly away.

6. Support bird conservation. Don’t collect eggs, nests and feathers; it’s against federal law. Plant native plants. Clean birdfeeders regularly.

Birdwatching in your preserves

You can bird-watch in every preserve from 6:30 a.m. to sunset, daily. Timing matters. Many birds are most active around sunrise and sunset. There’s often a lull in the afternoon as birds digest morning meals. Nocturnal birds such as owls and night herons awaken after dark.

Seasons shape what you see. Breeding season and spring and fall migration are prime birdwatching windows. Winter offers less activity, but certain northern-breeding species are only visible in Lake County then, such as dark-eyed juncos and short-eared owls.

Location also matters. Learning a species’ typical habitat and geographic range improves your chances of spotting it. For example, the Lake Michigan shoreline at Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve in Lake Forest is a magnet for migrating raptors like ospreys and hawks.

Meanwhile, wide-open grasslands and wetlands at Rollins Savanna entice nesting sparrows, ducks, blackbirds and shorebirds.

For the best bang for your birding buck, start with these preserves.

• Des Plaines River Trail

• Fort Sheridan

• Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville

• Rollins Savanna

• Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods

• Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve in Wadsworth.

Forest Preserves’ Birdwatching Guide

For local guidance, check the Forest Preserves’ Birdwatching Guide, offered in English and Spanish. Read at LCFPD.org/birds or pick up a free copy at their facilities: Fox River Marina, Port Barrington; General offices, Libertyville; Greenbelt Cultural Center, North Chicago; Independence Grove Visitors Center, Libertyville and Ryerson Welcome Center, Riverwoods.