Birds to See in Illinois in May
152 bird species on our list for Illinois are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay and Canada Goose. New this month: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler and Dickcissel and 28 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
Baltimore OrioleBusiest month of the year · Apr–Sep
Northern Yellow WarblerBusiest month of the year · Apr–Aug
Rose-breasted GrosbeakBusiest month of the year · Apr–Oct
Least FlycatcherBusiest month of the year · Apr–May
Northern WaterthrushBusiest month of the year · Apr–May
Scarlet TanagerBusiest month of the year · Apr–Oct
From Illinois’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 152 birds in May
152 birds
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 3.28% in May
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.80% in May
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.77% in May
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.91% in May
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.87% in May
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisSummer visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.82% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.81% in May- Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.81% in May
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.81% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.71% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in May
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.66% in May
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.62% in May
Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.58% in May
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.51% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.39% in May- Northern Yellow WarblerSetophaga aestivaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.35% in May
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in May- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusSummer visitorCommon18–22 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.08% in May
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in May
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaSummer visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.98% in May
Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusSummer visitorCommon17–22 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.91% in May
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in May
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.88% in May
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.86% in May
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.86% in May
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in May
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.80% in May
Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusPassage migrantCommon16–20 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.76% in May
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in May
Nashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapillaPassage migrantCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.67% in May
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaPassage migrantCommon10–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.65% in May
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in May
Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubrisSummer visitorCommon7–9 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.62% in May
Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaPassage migrantCommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.62% in May- Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.58% in May
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in May
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in May
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaPassage migrantCommon9–11 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.55% in May
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in May
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaPassage migrantCommon10–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.52% in May
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in May
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensPassage migrantCommon11–12 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.50% in May
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in May- Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.48% in May
- Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivaceaSummer visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.47% in May
Great White EgretArdea albaSummer visitorCommon80–104 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.46% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in May
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.40% in May
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in May
Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.35% in May
VeeryCatharus fuscescensPassage migrantUncommon16–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.34% in May
Purple MartinProgne subisSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.31% in May
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.28% in May
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.24% in May
Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaPassage migrantCommon14–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.23% in May
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisWinter visitorCommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in May
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantCommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.22% in May
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.22% in May
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in May
DickcisselSpiza americanaSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.21% in May
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiSummer visitorCommon13–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.21% in May
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in May
Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimusPassage migrantUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.19% in May
Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citreaSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.18% in May
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.18% in May
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantCommon23–27 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.16% in May
BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorusSummer visitorUncommon16–20 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.15% in May
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.15% in May
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.15% in May
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.15% in May
Mourning WarblerGeothlypis philadelphiaPassage migrantUncommon10–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.13% in May
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataPassage migrantUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.13% in May
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.12% in May
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.12% in May
Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.12% in May
Philadelphia VireoVireo philadelphicusPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.12% in May
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.10% in May
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.10% in May
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in May
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.09% in May
Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorumPassage migrantUncommon13–17 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.09% in May
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in May
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentUncommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in May
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.08% in May
Piping PloverCharadrius melodusSummer visitorUncommon17–18 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.08% in May
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.08% in May
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.08% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in May
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in May
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.06% in May
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.06% in May
Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmusSummer visitorUncommon28–32 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.06% in May
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusSummer visitorUncommon34–44 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.06% in May
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in May
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in May
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.06% in May
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorUncommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in May
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.05% in May
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.05% in May
Virginia RailRallus limicolaSummer visitorUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.05% in May
Forster's TernSterna forsteriSummer visitorUncommon33–36 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.05% in May
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusSummer visitorUncommon13–17 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.04% in May
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.04% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in May
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusPassage migrantUncommon23–32 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.03% in May
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacusSummer visitorRare15–17 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.03% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.03% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorRare31–35 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.03% in May
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.03% in May
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in May
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.02% in May
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisPassage migrantRare15–18 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.02% in May
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorPassage migrantUncommon22–24 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.02% in May
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaSummer visitorUncommon24–28 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.02% in May
Black TernChlidonias nigerSummer visitorUncommon22–26 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.02% in May
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentRare12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in May
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorRare33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.02% in May
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in May
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in May
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusSummer visitorRare58–85 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.01% in May
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in May
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentRare16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in May
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantRare27–30 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.01% in May
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusResidentRare29–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in May
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaSummer visitorRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.01% in May
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalisSummer visitorRare20–24 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.01% in May
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanSummer visitorUncommon32–36 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.01% in May
Cattle EgretArdea ibisSummer visitorRare46–56 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.01% in May
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantRare18–19 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.01% in May
American AvocetRecurvirostra americanaPassage migrantUncommon43–51 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.00% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorRare40–46 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.00% in May
Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaPassage migrantRare36–42 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.00% in May
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.00% in May
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusPassage migrantRare28–38 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.00% in May
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentRare48–66 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.00% in May
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentRare27–30 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.00% in May
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.00% in May
Painted BuntingPasserina cirisSummer visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.00% in May
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusResidentRare86–230 cmRegularly May · 0.00% in May
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataSummer visitorRare66–84 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.00% in May
BudgerigarMelopsittacus undulatusSummer visitorRare18–20 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.00% in May
ChukarAlectoris chukarResidentRare32–38 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.00% in May
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made