09/05/2026
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Experience the Urban Birding Festival by attending these bird walks located just outside of Chicago! These trips still have limited capacity left, so register while you still can! Registration is LIVE right now and can be accessed through the link in our bio (theurbanbirdingfestival.org)
Located in Tinley Park, Orland Grassland is over 750 acres of former agricultural land that has undergone thorough restoration over the past 20+ years. The results have led to an impressive return to native habitats that truly characterize the โPrairie Stateโ. Many quintessential grassland species such as Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Dickcissel, and Sedge Wren breed here and can still be found during fall migration. In addition to the prairie habitat, Orland Grassland boasts areas of wetlands, shrublands, and oak savanna which draw in many other migrating birds including waders, warblers, and waterfowl!
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Go birding around the wetlands where the Great Lakes basin and Mississippi River basin meet! While primarily known for its role connecting the continent by water and refueling the growth of Chicago, the wetlands that lie between the Chicago and Des Plaines rivers are home to a wide array of forest, marsh, and floodplain birds. Join your guide for a walk at the confluence of history and birding in search for migrating waterfowl, raptors, warblers, and more.
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Dan Ryan Woods sits on some of the highest land in Chicagoโonce the tip of an island in ancient Lake Chicago. Standing at Dan Ryan Woods 14,000 years ago, you would have been surrounded by water. The limestone aqueducts at Dan Ryan Woods are constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps to prevent water from washing away soil on the steep ridges. Visitors can still walk alongside the aqueducts as they wind their way through the woods south of 87th St. Here you can find Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, and Great Horned Owl in the woodland and savanna habitat.
