Although the state bird of Illinois is the northern cardinal, in the 1800s it might have been the greater prairie chicken. The grouse or boomer, as it was known back then, was once the most numerous ...

Prairie dogs are the Paul Reveres of the Great Plains: They bark to alert neighbors to the presence of predators, with separate calls ...

Small and stocky birds perch, hunched over, on the treetops and branches of Lake Okeechobee on the edge of Florida's swampy Everglades for the better part of winter. The alligators swarming the murky ...

Growing up in rural Indiana, I had more animal friends than human ones. I raised ducks and geese, and enjoyed my time ...

From stunning vistas to breathtaking beauty, these are USA Today's Most Treasured Views in Illinois. Here’s how to see them.

The treatment cost $1.2 million, paid for by the state of Illinois ... significant difference in bird mortality, and McCormick Place is the poster child.” Image A common yellowthroat that ...

The most common species include Osprey ... a bird almost extirpated in Illinois. Other birds found here include Northern Bobwhite, American Bittern, Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Hawk (winter), King ...

The Illinois Senate is debating a bill that would ban the state's schools from using Native American mascots ... Engineers Suggest a New Theory Larry Bird’s Trash Talk & Toughness Were No ...

The nation’s grassland birds, spread across 320 million acres in 14 states, have declined 43% since 1970, more than any other category, and are “in crisis,” according to a report.

The eastern meadowlark, a fairly common sight for grassland birders ... management of hay fields also can help in Illinois, Pollock said. The birds lay several sets of eggs in the course of ...

and natural areas," according to Bird Watcher's Digest. Longspurs can be found throughout Illinois in a variety of habitats. Central Illinoisans can find Smith’s longspur or the more common ...