The Illinois
Ornithological Society

Birds of Illinois

Birds of Illinois, Part 1: Waterfowl to Cranes

This list is based on the forthcoming revised checklist of Illinois birds. The checklist is based on the deliberations of the seven-member Illinois Ornithological Records Committee (IORC). IORC was organized in 1986 to review Illinois bird records using evidence submitted to the Committee. Such evidence may include an identifiable specimen, photograph, a digital or electronic image, video or audio tape recording, and/or written documentation. See the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee page for more information about IORC. The taxonomy and nomenclature used here follow the seventh edition of the American Ornithologists' Union checklist (AOU 1998) and its supplements (through the 44th supplement, Banks et al 2003, issued July 2003). A total of 442 species have been officially recorded in the state as of September, 2013.

This list is available for downloading as a Microsoft Word Document, a Rich Text Format Document, an Excel Spreadsheet*, or a PDF**. To save one of these files to your computer, right-click directly on the desired link and select Save Target As from the menu that appears. Choose where you want to save the file to and click the Save button.

Recent Additions: White-crested/Small-billed Elaenia, Wandering Tattler

Recent Removals: Western Gull

*Requires Excel. If you don't have Excel on your computer you can download the free Excel Viewer from Microsoft to view Excel spreadsheets.

**Requires Adobe Reader. If you don't have Adobe Reader on your computer, go to the Adobe Reader download page and follow the instructions to download it. Adobe Reader is safe and completely free.

Key

Evidence Type

  • photo = photograph
  • spec = specimen
  • doc = written documentation

Status Information

  • Regular = Species for which there are records in at least eight of the past ten years.
  • Casual = Species for which there are accepted records in three to seven of the past ten years.
  • Accidental = Species for which there are accepted records in no more than two of the past ten years.
  • Extirpated = Species which were formerly Casual or Regular in Illinois but which have not been recorded in the wild in the state for at least 50 years.
  • Extinct = Species which have occurred in the state but no longer occur anywhere in the world.

Breeding Information

  • For species that have bred in Illinois, an additional notation appears in the entry, following a slash ("/").
  • B = Species which currently breed more or less regularly in the state. In general, this is defined by breeding in at least eight of the last ten years or 40 or more of the last 50 years.
  • b = Species which have bred at least once in the past 50 years, but do not currently breed regularly.
  • (B) = Species which formerly bred more or less regularly in the state, but which have not been confirmed as breeding in the past 50 years.
  • (b) = Species which have been confirmed as breeding in the state, but never regularly, and with no confirmed records of breeding in the past 50 years.

Two terms are restricted to breeding species, based on Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) designations. These are:

  • Endangered = Species whose breeding populations are in danger of extirpation within Illinois; listed as endangered by the IDNR.
  • Threatened = Species whose breeding populations are at risk of becoming endangered within Illinois; listed as threatened by the IDNR.

Part 1: Waterfowl to Cranes You are here

Part 2: Stilts and Avocets to ShrikesArrow

Part 3: Vireos to Old World SparrowsArrow

Order: Anseriformes

Family: Anatidae (Geese, Swans, and Ducks)

  • Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) (spec) Casual
  • Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) (photo) Accidental
  • Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) (spec) Regular
  • Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) (spec) Regular / b (cross-breeding)
  • Ross's Goose (Chen rossii) (spec) Regular
  • Brant (Branta bernicla) (spec) Casual
  • Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) (spec) Regular
  • Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) (spec) Regular / B
  • Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) (spec) Regular (introduced) / B
  • Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) (spec) Extirpated (reintroduced, established) / (b)
  • Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) (spec) Regular
  • Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) (spec) Regular / B
  • Gadwall (Anas strepera) (spec) Regular / b
  • Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) (spec) Casual
  • American Wigeon (Anas americana) (spec) Regular
  • American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) (spec) Regular / b
  • Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (spec) Regular / B
  • Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) (photo) Accidental
  • Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) (spec) Regular / B
  • Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) (photo) Regular
  • Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) (spec) Regular / b
  • Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) (spec) Regular / b
  • Garganey (Anas querquedula) (doc) Accidental
  • Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) (spec) Regular / b
  • Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) (spec) Regular / b (NE)
  • Redhead (Aythya americana) (spec) Regular / b
  • Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) (spec) Regular
  • Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) (doc) Accidental
  • Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) (spec) Regular
  • Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) (spec) Regular / b
  • King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (spec) Casual
  • Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) (photo) Accidental
  • Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) (photo) Regular
  • Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) (spec) Regular
  • White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca) (spec) Regular
  • Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) (spec) Regular
  • Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) (spec) Regular
  • Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) (spec) Regular
  • Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) (spec) Regular
  • Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) (spec) Casual
  • Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) (spec) Regular / B
  • Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (spec) Regular
  • Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) (spec) Regular / b (NE)
  • Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) (spec) Regular / B

Order: Galliformes

Family: Odontophoridae (New World Quails)

  • Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) (spec) Regular / B

Family: Phasianidae (Partridges, Pheasants, Grouse, and Turkeys)

  • Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) (spec) Regular (N, introduced) / B
  • Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) (spec) Regular (introduced) / B
  • Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) (spec) Casual (NW) / (B) 1
  • Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) (spec) Extirpated / (b) (N)
  • Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) (spec) Regular (SE, local) / B (endangered) 2
  • Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) (spec) Regular / B 3

Order: Gaviiformes

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Family: Gaviidae (Loons)

  • Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) (spec) Regular
  • Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) (photo) Regular
  • Common Loon (Gavia immer) (spec) Regular / (b) (N)
  • Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) (spec) Accidental

Order: Podicipediformes

Family: Podicipedidae (Grebes)

  • Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) (spec) Regular / B
  • Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) (spec) Regular / (b)
  • Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) (spec) Regular
  • Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) (spec) Regular / b (NE)
  • Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) (spec) Regular
  • Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) (doc) Accidental

Order: Ciconiiformes

Family: Ciconiidae (Storks)

  • Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) (spec) Accidental

Order: Suliformes

Family: Fregatidae (Frigatebirds)

  • Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) (doc) Accidental

Family: Sulidae (Boobies)

  • Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) (doc) Accidental

Family: Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants)

  • Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) (spec) Casual
  • Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) (spec) Regular / B

Family: Anhingidae (Anhingas)

  • Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) (photo) Casual

Order: Pelecaniformes

Family: Pelecanidae (Pelicans)

  • American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) (spec) Regular / B
  • Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) (spec) Accidental

Family: Ardeidae (Herons and Egrets)

  • American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) (spec) Regular / b (endangered)
  • Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) (spec) Regular / B (threatened)
  • Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) (spec) Regular / B
  • Great Egret (Ardea alba) (spec) Regular / B
  • Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) (spec) Regular / B (endangered)
  • Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (spec) Regular / B (endangered)
  • Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) (photo) Regular
  • Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) (photo) Accidental
  • Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) (spec) Regular / B
  • Green Heron (Butorides virescens) (spec) Regular / B
  • Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (spec) Regular / B (endangered)
  • Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) (spec) Regular / B (endangered)

Family: Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)

  • White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) (spec) Casual
  • Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) (photo) Regular
  • White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) (photo) Regular
  • Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) (photo) Accidental

Order: Acciptriformes

Family: Cathartidae (American Vultures)

  • Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) (photo) Regular / B (S) (local)
  • Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) (spec) Regular / B

Family: Pandionidae (Osprey)

  • Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) (spec) Regular / b (local) (endangered)

Family: Accipitridae (Kites, Eagles, and Hawks)

  • Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) (spec) Accidental / (b)
  • White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) (doc) Accidental
  • Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) (spec) Regular / B (S, local) (threatened)
  • Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) (spec) Regular / B
  • Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) (spec) Regular / B (endangered)
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) (spec) Regular / b
  • Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) (spec) Regular / B
  • Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) (spec) Regular
  • Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) (spec) Regular / B
  • Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) (spec) Regular / B
  • Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) (spec) Regular / B (NE, local) (endangered)
  • Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) (spec) Regular / B
  • Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) (spec) Accidental
  • Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) (spec) Regular
  • Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) (spec) Regular

Order: Gruiformes

Family: Rallidae (Rails)

  • Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) (spec) Regular / (b) (N)
  • Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) (spec) Regular / b (endangered)
  • King Rail (Rallus elegans) (spec) Regular / B (endangered)
  • Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) (spec) Regular / B
  • Sora (Porzana carolina) (spec) Regular / B
  • Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) (spec) Casual / b (S)
  • Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) (spec) Regular / B (endangered)
  • American Coot (Fulica americana) (spec) Regular / B

Family: Gruidae (Cranes)

  • Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) (spec) Regular / B
  • Whooping Crane (Grus americana) (spec) Accidental

(Continued on next page)

Part 1: Waterfowl to Cranes You are here

Part 2: Stilts and Avocets to ShrikesArrow

Part 3: Vireos to Old World SparrowsArrow

Footnotes

1 Ruffed Grouse in NW Illinois may represent a remnant native population or wild dispersals from Wisconsin or Iowa. A very small population in Pope County may be the result of late 1950's or early 1960's releases of wild-trapped birds. All other populations in Union and Alexander County or extreme western Jo Daviess County are the results of wild-trapped birds released during the period 1982-94 and are not considered established.

2 During the summers of 1991-98 Greater Prairie-Chickens from out-of-state were introduced into Illinois' only remaining populations in Jasper and Marion counties.

3 The native Wild Turkey population in Illinois was extirpated in the early 1900's. Turkeys were first reintroduced in the Shawnee Forest in 1959 from out-of-state stock. Once established there, Illinois birds have been and continue to be introduced to unpopulated locations throughout the state.

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Birds of Illinois, Part 1: Waterfowl to Cranes