Rare Birds in Illinois
Our list for Illinois has 46 rare birds recorded regularly there: 8 residents, 12 summer visitors, 3 winter visitors, 17 passage migrants and 6 scarce visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Illinois in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 46, most common first
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorRare15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Feb
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacusSummer visitorRare15–17 cmRegularly Apr–Aug
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantRare27–30 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantRare18–19 cmRegularly May–Sep
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorRare33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusResidentRare29–31 cmRecorded all year
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaPassage migrantRare16–22 cmRegularly Nov–Jan
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRegularly May–Sep
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentRare12–13 cmRecorded all year
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorRare31–35 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusSummer visitorRare58–85 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaSummer visitorRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Red KnotCalidris canutusPassage migrantRare23–26 cmRegularly Aug–Sep
Cattle EgretArdea ibisSummer visitorRare46–56 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaPassage migrantRare37–41 cmRegularly Nov–Jan
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisPassage migrantRare15–18 cmRegularly May–Oct
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentRare16–26 cmRecorded all year
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalisSummer visitorRare20–24 cmRegularly May–Sep
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Sep–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