A suburban Chicago ecosystem
Wildlife Species
Dickcissel (Spiza americana)
Birds: 174 Species
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
American Coot (Fulica americana)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
American Wigeon (Mareca americana)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
Common Loon (Gavia immer)
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis)
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
Dickcissel (Spiza americana)
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)
European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus)
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis)
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)
Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata)
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)
Purple Martin (Progne subis)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Redhead (Aythya americana)
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
Sora (Porzana carolina)
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina)
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Veery (Catharus fuscescen)
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)
Willow or Alder Flycatcher (Traill's) (Empidonax traillii or alnorum)
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)
Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)
Butterflies and Moths: 49 Species
American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
American Snout (Libytheana carinent)
- Bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis)
Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
Brown-hooded Owlet (Cucullia convexipennis)
Cabbage White (nonnative) (Pieris rapae)
Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)
Crowned Phlyctaenia Moth (Anania Tertialis)
Eastern Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)
Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe)
Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella)
Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor)
Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth (Macaria pustularia)
- Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela)
Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Nessus Sphinx (Amphion floridensis)
- Northern Pearly-eye (Lethe anthedon)
Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
Plume Moth Species (Pterophoridae spp)
Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus)
Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis)
Squash Vine Borer (Melittia cucurbitae)
Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles)
Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
Virginia Ctenucha (Ctenucha virginica)
Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata)
White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma)
Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon)
Dragonflies and Damselflies: 31 Species
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)
Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum)
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina)
Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)
Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera)
Eastern Forktail (Ischnura verticalis)
Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)
Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata)
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile)
Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)
Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita)
Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis)
Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)
Jade Clubtail (Arigomphus submedianus)
Orange Bluet (Enallagma signatum)
Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps)
Ruby Meadowhawk / Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum rubicundulum / Sympetrum internum)
Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa)
Skimming Bluet (Enallagma geminatum)
Slender Bluet (Enallagma traviatum)
Slender Spreadwing (Lestes rectangularis)
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
Unicorn Clubtail (Arigomphus villosipes)
Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)
White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum)
White-faced/Ruby/Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum spp)
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)
Bees, Wasps, and Flies: 30 Species
American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus)
Bristle Sweat Bee (Lasioglossum imitatum)
Brown-belted Bumble Bee (Bombus griseocollis)
Bumble Bee (Bombus spp.)
Cicada Killer (Sphecius speciosus)
Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens)
Common Green Bottle Fly (Lucilia sericata)
Common Paper Wasp (Polistes exclamans)
Coneflower Mining Bee (Andrena rudbeckiae)
- Confusing Furrow Bee (Halictus confusus)
Grass-carrying Wasp (Isodontia elegans)
Great Black Wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus)
Great Golden Digger (Sphex ichneumoneus)
Green-eyed Crane Fly (Tipula bicornis)
Honeysuckle Sawfly (Abia spp)
Leafcutter Bee (Megachile spp)
Margined Calligrapher (Toxomerus marginatus)
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Modest Masked Bee (Hylaeus modestus)
- Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris)
Northern Paper Wasp (Polistes fuscatus)
Potter Wasp (Eumenes fraternus)
- Pure Green Sweat Bee (Augochlora pura)
Sunflower Receptacle Maggot Fly (Gymnocarena diffusa)
Syrphid Fly (Syrphidae spp)
Thick-headed Fly (Physocephala tibialis)
Trachusa Leafcutter Bee (Trachusa spp)
Transverse Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa)
Two-spotted Bumble Bee (Bombus bimaculatus)
Willow Pinecone Gall Midge (Rabdophaga strobiloides)
Yellow Bumble Bee (Bombus fervidus)
Other Insects, Spiders, and Bugs: 24 Species
Banded Garden Spider (Argiope trifasciata)
Banded Longhorn Beetle (Typocerus velutinus)
Black and Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia)
Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax)
Brood XIII Periodical Cicada (Magicicada spp)
Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)
Clouded Plant Bug (Neurocolpus nubilus)
Cross Orbweaver (Araneus diadematus)
Fourlined Plant Bug (Poecilocapus lineatus)
Goldenrod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia)
Helmeted Squash Bug (Euthochtha galeator)
Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus)
Oleander Aphid (Aphis nerii)
Orchard Orb Weaver (Leucauge venusta)
Pink Spotted Lady Beetle (Coleomegilla maculata)
Red Aphid (Uroleucon spp)
Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus)
Scarab Beetle species (Valgus hemipterus) (Valgus hemipterus)
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Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii)
Spined Micrathena (Micrathena gracilis)
- Spined Soldier Bug (Podisus maculiventris)
Spotted Orb Weaver (Neoscona crucifera)
Water Strider (Gerridae spp)
Wolf Spider (Tigrosa helluo) (Tigrosa helluo)
Mammals: 16 Species
American Beaver (Castor canadensis)
American Mink (Mustela vison)
Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
Coyote (Canis latrans)
Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
- Elk (Cervus canadensis)
Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus)
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)
Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish: 9 Species
American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes versicolor)
Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)
Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens)
Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
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