Large Birds in Illinois: Types, Identification, and Photos (2024)

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Like a flock of majestic birds, the large avian species in Illinois soar through its skies. From Sandhill Cranes and Great Egrets to Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles, there’s no shortage of astounding wildlife for birders to spot.

Whether you’re an experienced birder or just starting out on your journey into ornithology, this article will teach you all about identifying the different types of large birds found in Illinois by their size, shape, and colors – complete with photos! So grab your binoculars as we explore these incredible creatures that call our state home.

Types of Large Birds in Illinois

You can spot many hefty flyers year-round like great horned owls and Canada geese, while snowy owls and trumpeter swans swing through during migration. Large birds make their homes in wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, and even urban areas across the state.

Sandhill cranes nest in the north while black vultures breed farther south. Birds like red-tailed hawks and great blue herons thrive statewide. Some species are endangered in Illinois and require habitat conservation to recover, such as trumpeter swans.

Diets range from fish-focused ospreys to carrion-loving turkey vultures. The variety of feeding strategies allows multiple large birds to coexist.

Experiencing the majesty of a soaring eagle or trumpeter swan’s musical bugling connects us to nature’s grandeur.

Sandhill Crane

The cranes are the largest birds in Illinois, summering in the northern reaches of the state. Though magnificent, these ancient avians exhibit behaviors both elegant and peculiar.

Sandhill cranes engage in energetic, leaping dances to attract mates and defend territories.

Their loud, rattling calls echo across wetlands and grasslands during breeding season. These vocalizations help maintain pair bonds and signal alarm when danger is near.

They build nests of plant material in shallow wetlands and fiercely protect eggs and chicks.

Sandhill cranes often smear mud and vegetation on their feathers. This may help regulate body temperature and deter biting insects.

Sandhill cranes thrive in Illinois thanks to conservation efforts. Their presence each summer is a triumph and treat for birders across the state.

Great Egret

Second, this scarce white visitor arrives rarely in the Land of Lincoln. The majestic Great Egret, standing over 3 feet tall with bright white plumage, is an uncommon sight in Illinois wetlands. You may spot its graceful, deliberate movements while hunting or in flight over ponds and marshes.

Conservation efforts have allowed this species to recover from hunting for the millinery trade. If you see one of these striking birds, consider yourself lucky to witness an uncommon visitor from the south.

Great Egret Facts
Scientific Name	Ardea alba
Wingspan	52 in
Diet	Fish, amphibians, insects
Population Status	Increasing

Experience a sense of wonder when a Great Egret’s elegant white form graces the wetlands and ponds of Illinois. Though scarce, their fleeting presence offers a chance to witness the revival of a once-threatened species.

Great Blue Heron

You’ve just learned about the majestic Great Egret, a rare visitor to Illinois that catches the eye with its stunning white plumage.

Now let’s turn our sights to the Great Blue Heron, a common year-round resident that can be seen strutting slowly along the edges of any body of water in the state.

Commonly over four feet tall, this heron makes an impact with its imposing height, long neck, and huge wingspan of up to seven feet across.

You’ll delight in seeing these birds feeding in shallow waters, waiting patiently for a fish or amphibian to wander by before stabbing them with their sharp beaks.

Keep an eye out for these skilled hunters building nests high in trees and nurturing their young throughout spring and summer.

With conservation efforts to protect wetlands, the iconic Great Blue Heron continues to thrive as an engaging part of our diverse Illinois ecosystem.

Double-crested Cormorant

You’re marveling as that sleek black waterbird dives for fish, its orange throat pouch ballooning. The double-crested cormorant is an expert swimmer and diver, using its webbed feet to propel itself underwater as it pursues small fish, crustaceans, and amphibians.

Cormorants build nests of sticks, seaweed, and debris in trees, on the ground, or on rocky ledges near water.

They are voracious eaters, consuming around a pound of fish daily.

Populations declined in the 20th century from DDT poisoning but have rebounded with conservation efforts.

Cormorants often perch with wings spread to dry after fishing.

Seeing this large black waterbird with its snake-like neck and bright throat patch diving underwater is a memorable sight for any birder in Illinois. Though sometimes considered a nuisance, the double-crested cormorant fills an important niche in wetland ecosystems.

Caspian Tern

You spot the biggest tern in North America as a rare summer visitor in Illinois, with its large red-orange bill and black head. This massive seabird nests in small colonies near large lakes or along major rivers in the state, where it finds abundant fish to feast upon.

Its intimidating size and harsh krrr-krrr-krrr call echoes as the Caspian Tern plunge dives from great heights to snatch unsuspecting fish with its dagger-like bill. While primarily piscivorous, it occasionally preys upon crayfish, insects, small mammals, and baby birds if fish are scarce.

These terns migrate from as far south as Peru to breed in the Great Lakes region before returning to wintering grounds, making them long-distance aerial nomads. With declining populations, conservation efforts promoting nesting rafts and protected habitats bolster fledge rates so we can continue to admire these aerial masters over Illinois waters.

Though fleeting, glimpse the Caspian Tern and appreciate this scarce visitor, our state’s largest aerialist.

Common Loon

Didn’t ya know the black-and-white common loon is a big summer resident waterbird in Illinois that makes its haunting, yodeling calls over lakes? Though reclusive birds, a common loon’s quavering wail sounds wild and lonesome, carrying far across still waters.

Haunting too are their nighttime calls and that chocolate brown checkered back. Northern loons return to nest in freshwater lakes and ponds, diving to catch fish and raising fluffy chicks on shimmering waters.

The common loon is an iconic waterbird of pristine northern lakes. Its yodeling and wailing calls are otherworldly.

These aquatic birds are strong swimmers and divers, using their webbed feet like paddles.

Their encounters feel serendipitous. If you’re lucky, watch a loon preen or fish, then slip silently into dark waters, leaving only ripples behind.

Osprey

Nestin’ near water, this raptor’s got curved talons and fish focus. With webbed toes and hooked beaks, ospreys dive bomb for their catch, plungin’ talon-first to snatch fish.

You’ll spot their huge stick nests atop poles and platforms.

Migratin’ each year, they winter down south then return up north in spring to breed.

Though once endangered by DDT pesticides, conservin’ their wetland habitat and limitin’ chemicals enabled osprey to recover across the U.

Still, their future remains tied to healthy waterways teemin’ with fish.

So when ya see an osprey snatchin’ a fish, appreciate how protectin’ habitat and reducin’ pollution helps magnificent raptors thrive.

With continued care, ospreys can spread their wings wide across Illinois skies for generations.

Bald Eagle

They’re the largest eagles in Illinois, often seen soaring near rivers and lakes when they winter here. Each winter, bald eagles arrive in Illinois from their northern breeding grounds, bringing majesty and wonder to our skies.

From December through February, look for bald eagles soaring over open water or perched in large riverside trees.

Listen for their cackling, laughing calls.

When an eagle spots prey or has a full crop after a meal, that distinctive white head and tail stand out.

See their massive nests – constantly added to year after year – high in riverside cottonwoods.

Always a thrill to observe, bald eagles are an inspiring reminder of successful wildlife conservation. Their comeback from near extirpation shows what dedicated environmental stewardship can achieve.

Golden Eagle

Though we rarely soar majestically in winter skies, our foreboding presence looms over the hinterlands. While not commonly found in Illinois, golden eagles are rare winter visitors migrating from northern breeding grounds.

With nearly 7-foot wingspans, golden eagles impress with size yet appear diminutive next to deer upon which they prey. Their tawny golden plumages disguise them amid dead prairie grasses as they survey landscapes with telescopic vision.

Quietly patrolling the skies with few wingbeats, golden eagles display unparalleled mastery of the air. Though scarce in the Land of Lincoln, these powerful raptors command admiration when spotted flexing their aeronautical skills.

Description	Golden Eagle	Red-shouldered Hawk
Wingspan	6 – 7.5 ft	3.5 – 4 ft
Habitat	Open country	Forested wetlands
Diet	Small mammals	Small mammals, reptiles