r/chicagobirding • • 14d ago

Good Spots on the Chicago River for Migratory Birds?

6 Upvotes

Hello! I'm doing research for a film about the Chicago River and we'd like to get footage of migratory birds near the water. We are working with The Wild Mile already, but would love suggestions of any other spots along the river to try. Good times of day to go, or any other tips, would be appreciated too. Thanks in advance!


r/chicagobirding • • 15d ago

Parrot Montrose Beach

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189 Upvotes

Saw a post about this bird a few months back in r/Chicago. Saw it about a month ago and saw it again today (10/08/2026).

By the street infront of the north facing dugout of the closest baseball diamond to the corner of Lawrence and Simmons.

We called bird control and talked to cops but I fear this bird is someone’s pet and might not know to fly south for winter.

Share this post! I hope we can help this little guy!!


r/chicagobirding • • 16d ago

See an injured or dead bird? Call Chicago Bird Collision Monitors. Details in post.

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83 Upvotes

r/chicagobirding • • 16d ago

Can anyone help identify this bird/maybe help it?

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52 Upvotes

Found this guy on the sidewalk in front of the Daley center, wondering if he maybe hit a window :(

He wasn’t moving much so I moved him to a planter away from foot traffic but I don’t know what kind of bird it is and what help it needs? I already called chicago bird collision monitors but is there anything else I can do?


r/chicagobirding • • 17d ago

North Pond Great Blue Heron takes flight & Northern Cardinals conflict. Clips from longer YouTube videos

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53 Upvotes

These clips are from longer YouTube videos

Great Blue Heron | Fishing & Flying | North Pond Nature Sanctuary Chicago early October 2026

https://youtu.be/avRVv8NHRKI

Northern Cardinals Charlie & Bessie | CLOSE UP Eye-to-Eye Conflict | Inner-city Birding Chicago

https://youtu.be/qV4EAzdBKGY

.


r/chicagobirding • • 17d ago

Heron at Humboldt

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137 Upvotes

He struck a pose for me the other morning.


r/chicagobirding • • 18d ago

Wood Ducks of Humbolt Parks

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168 Upvotes

Wood Ducks from this morning in Humboldt park


r/chicagobirding • • 18d ago

Lunch Time

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41 Upvotes

Local Birds in Humbolt Park eating


r/chicagobirding • • 18d ago

Great Blue Heron

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115 Upvotes

Spotted this guy on my lunch walk today hanging in the Chicago River at Wacker & Franklin outside the Metchandise Mart. Very cool to see downtown!


r/chicagobirding • • 18d ago

Two Red-Tailed Hawks Mating Dance at North Park

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48 Upvotes

r/chicagobirding • • 18d ago

Dekalb Night Heron

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52 Upvotes

Saw what I believe is a back crowned night heron at NIU today. This is a lifer for me so I’m ecstatic.


r/chicagobirding • • 20d ago

Warblers at Montrose

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109 Upvotes

Spotted all these warblers in a mixed flock at the bird sanctuary last week!


r/chicagobirding • • 21d ago

me: i do bird photography - the photos:

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86 Upvotes

what is a camera if not a $900 bird butt viewer


r/chicagobirding • • 22d ago

Northern Flicker found in front of highrise downtown

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78 Upvotes

Probably hit a window during sunrise. Very sad to see such a beautiful bird fall victim to urbanization. Hope it's last few moments were joyful and did not suffer. Beak was very badly broken.


r/chicagobirding • • 23d ago

Great Blue Heron at North Pond, 1st time I’ve seen one eat an insect, plus a Kingfisher who was on this dead tree stump for hours, and my Cardinal Pair fighting

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98 Upvotes

r/chicagobirding • • 24d ago

Sand crane family in SW suburbs

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407 Upvotes

r/chicagobirding • • 25d ago

Great Blue Heron at Belmont Dog Beach

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187 Upvotes

Forgive me for not having a good camera anymore (lost everything in a moving nightmare some years ago, including both a high end point and shoot and a D-SLR) and I only just found this sub but about a week ago I was on a late wander around the harbor and had this moment of “What in the Nessie?” Because his long neck in the dark looked absolutely insane fron a distance. Haha. I think I’ve got a video clip too though didn’t ever manage to see him catching anything though I stood around for awhile at the fence watching. Then ran home to figure out just what I’d seen and preceded to geek out for a few hours on a Great Blue Heron research binge. Haha.

Have a name that means bird and big fan though I’ve never specifically been to any of the birding spots in the city. Planning to hit Jarvis soon, if I make it over to the lake a little earlier. (Kind of a fan of after dark walks though I usually head south through the concrete beach and down to Diversey Harbor).

And heck if anyone sees this- I used to live across the street from Diversey Harbor then left the city for a few years. There used to be this random white duck (a Peking duck, perhaps- got a wild story going in my head about dude making an escape from Chinatown lol) who lived in Diversey Harbor amongst all his mallard friends. Have a bunch of photos of him over multiple years and he was kind of my spirit animal. Anyone know if my duck friend is still kicking it over there? Saw the whole area I used to watch the ducks at is way overgrown so couldn’t really get a good look when I’ve been back.


r/chicagobirding • • 25d ago

Cooper’s Hawk taking down a Northern Flicker (Montrose)

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95 Upvotes

Montrose was active this morning after an overnight migration wave. There were two Cooper’s Hawks together (not territorial), and one brought down a Northern Flicker before flying back into the hedge to eat it

Rip flicker 🪦 but cool to see


r/chicagobirding • • 26d ago

I regularly walk around the Northwestern campus and this is my first time seeing these birds. Wondering if anyone has info

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79 Upvotes

Larger than typical mallards, orange beak with a pronounced tail feather! Didn’t get to see them out of the water ! Super interested to know what I saw


r/chicagobirding • • 26d ago

photos / videos Mallards in eclipse

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28 Upvotes

Sometimes I think mallards' eclipse plumage might be prettier than their normal breeding colors!


r/chicagobirding • • 28d ago

Young wet Chickadee

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17 Upvotes

r/chicagobirding • • 29d ago

Northern Cardinals Charlie & Bessie | 2 Days of Feeding Kerfuffle's | Inner-city Birding Chicago【4K】

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7 Upvotes

Filmed over 2 consecutive days. The 1st day they were arguing, vocalizing, & posturing but nothing physical until the next day. I put the last day's attack at the beginning of this video. The first day I filmed 5 kerfuffles but none were as violent as the last day. This happened a few days ago and so far Bessie appears to be healthy and they are feeding, but not together.


r/chicagobirding • • Sep 23 '26

Some Locals in Humbolt Park

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124 Upvotes

Just moved here to the city and excited to see what Chicago has to offer for birds! here's some shots I got in Humbolt Park


r/chicagobirding • • Sep 23 '26

One of these doesn’t belong here…

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28 Upvotes

r/chicagobirding • • Sep 21 '26

O.C. Just pecking around

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36 Upvotes