Birding Illinois [Paperback]

Sheryl De Vore (Author)

Book Description

Series: Regional Birding Series | Publication Date: February 1, 2000

Where-to site guide to over 100 of the best birding locations in Illinois including maps, photos and directions.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

With Birding Illinois you can explore over 110 great birding locations throughout the state. Some of the Midwest's best birding occurs in the Prairie State, thanks to the rich variety of habitat that includes woodlands, wetlands, hills, sandstone canyons, savannas, prairies, cypress swamps, and sand dunes. You will also find good birding on the expansive Lake Michigan shoreline and along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Experience the rushing sound of thousands of American Golden-Plovers coursing across the sky or meet the yellow-eyed stare of an adult Bald Eagle looking over the Illinois River. The book includes detailed site maps and bar graphs showing status and serves as the Chief Editor of Meadowlark, the quarterly journal of the Illinois Ornithological Society. She knows the rich bird life in the state and where to observe it. Birding Illinois will prove invaluable when you plan your next birding trip.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Falcon; 1st edition (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560446897
• ISBN-13: 978-1560446897
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,485,790 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Birding Illinois, April 5, 2000

By 

Steven D. Bailey (Champaign, Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birding Illinois (Paperback)

Every state should have a bird-finding guide this good! The author has done a superb job in presenting not only some of the more well-known Illinois birding locations, but also provides many areas that even most of Illinois' more experienced birdwatchers will find new and well worth exploring. Birders from outside of Illinois will probably be very surprised to learn of the variety of habitats and birds that this state has to offer once one leaves the seemingly birdless "corn and soybean desert" that many see from the interstates that crisscross the state. For instance,the chances of seeing a Mississippi Kite in southern Illinois are "good", as are such diverse species as Snowy Owl, Ross's Goose, and Connecticut Warbler! Illinois may be one of the best locations to see the elusive Smith's Longspur in the lower 48 states, and this guide will tell you when, where and how to see one! This long overdue site finding guide to Illinois' best birding locations is the first to cover the entire state in 25 years! And it is much more than a site guide! Only somewhat larger than many field guides, it is none-the-less easily manageable in the field (or in your car), and one should not be without this book while birding the states highways and byways. The author provides maps as well as written descriptions on how to bird the areas, but one of the best features of this book is the list of "key birds" to be found at each location at the beginning of each site account. In addition, the "Seasonal Distribution Charts" at the back of the book are the first of their kind for books on Illinois' birds, which attempt to cover the whole state, and make this an invaluable addition to this admirable reference work! The contributions from many of the state's most experienced birdwatchers and ornithologists from all corners of the state, guarantees the accuracy and thoroughness of the areas covered. Birders will find the sections on "Authors Favorite Sites", "Illinois' Specialty Birds", and the "Birding Calender" particularly helpful additions compared to the more normal bird-finding guides, and should make it a much more easy task in planning their birding trip, including exactly where and when to go to add that particular bird species that is still missing from their list! The well chosen photographs and exemplary line drawings not only make an aesthetically nice addition to the book, but give examples not only of some of the more typical birds to be found in Illinois but also show the diversity of avian life to be seen throughout the state. Not only is this book factually correct, but the well-written prose of this obviously talented journalist is very descriptive of the birds and birding destinations, and almost transports one to each birding hotspot. Aside from the usual typos and a few small errors in a few of the maps, this book is an excellent "read", and a MUST for EVERY birdwatcher traveling to or residing in the state of Illinois!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very useful reference book, December 4, 2001

By 

Patricia O'Tuama "rissa" (Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birding Illinois (Paperback)

I bought this book not so much because I want to go birding, but because it lists over 110 bird refuges, conservation areas, creeks, forest preserves and tall grass praries, many of which I know I have driven by on the highway without realizing that just down a state or county road is natural habitat full of wildlife. Some of the areas covered will be familiar to anyone who has lived in Illinois (Morton Arboretum, Fermi Lab, Jackson Park, Montrose Harbor, Chicago Botanic Garden, Starved Rock State Park) but the others are probably new to most people -- Meredosia Wildlife Refuge, Midewin Tallgrass Prarie, Pecatonica River Forest Preserve, Kickapoo State Park, Mermet Lake, etc.

The entries are divided into regions (northeast, northwest, west-central and southern) with each featuring a map of the area with directions, and a list and description of the birds that live or migrate through there. There are also black & white photographs and beautifully-detailed sketches of birds scattered throughout the text. The entries include walking or driving tours and information about the best time of the year to visit the site as well as general information on the conditions of the area (with instructions on when you need to bring your own water, insect repellant and food), what times of the year it may be closed and whether there are picnic/camping areas. In some cases the history of the area is given (for example, the fact that Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area and Forest Preserve is named after a Native American chief who lived there with his tribe in the 1830s). Each entry also includes the name of the park district that supervises the area and the nearest town.

The book ends with a checklist of birds so you can keep track of the ones you have seen, a list of extinct and endangered birds, the official form for reporting a rare bird, a bibliograpy and a list of federal, state and county contacts with phone numbers and addresses. This is a terrific reference book as well as guidebook. I'm grabbing my binoculars, a picnic lunch, this book and heading out to explore the rest of Illinois!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Birding Book with Unique Information, September 26, 2010

By 

William A. Parmley - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Birding Illinois (Paperback)

This was purchased for my wife. She already knew that she liked this book because she had seen a friend's copy. The state status and distribution charts are very informative and do not appear to be available elsewhere, which makes this a very useful and unique resource. Descriptions of birding spots are also good and useful.