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.

391,485

recent observations

30

species listed

11

birds

9

insects & arthropods

6

plants

Naturalists have logged 391,485 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in Illinois. The most frequently seen is the Common Eastern Bumble Bee, with 24,508 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

24,508 observations

Danaus plexippus

21,974 observations

Brown-belted Bumble Bee

Bombus griseocollis

19,543 observations

Passer domesticus

18,760 observations

Turdus migratorius

18,685 observations

Branta canadensis

18,143 observations

Anas platyrhynchos

17,912 observations

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

16,482 observations

Western Honey Bee

16,328 observations

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

15,859 observations

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

14,283 observations

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

13,569 observations

common milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

12,393 observations

prairie trillium

Trillium recurvatum

11,010 observations

Podophyllum peltatum

10,981 observations

Virginia Springbeauty

Claytonia virginica

10,349 observations

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

10,219 observations

Great Blue Heron

10,133 observations

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Xylocopa virginica

10,046 observations

Black Swallowtail

Papilio polyxenes

10,000 observations

Asian Lady Beetle

Harmonia axyridis

9,879 observations

American Goldfinch

9,686 observations

Two-spotted Bumble Bee

Bombus bimaculatus

9,352 observations

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

9,329 observations

Virginia bluebells

Mertensia virginica

9,074 observations

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

9,010 observations

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus

8,773 observations

Zenaida macroura

8,547 observations

Anaxyrus americanus

8,433 observations

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

8,225 observations

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