Santa Fe Bottoms
Illinois · Midwest
Moderate
April-May, September-October
About This Location
Santa Fe Bottoms is a productive birding destination in Illinois, with 260 species recorded on eBird. This grassland and wetland habitat attracts American White Pelican and European Starling among many others. Spring migration along the Mississippi and Central Flyways makes this a vital stopover for diverse species.
Location
Loading map...
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Western Kingbird
Tyrannus verticalis
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
American Avocet
Recurvirostra americana
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
Connecticut Warbler
Oporornis agilis
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
American Avocet
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Dunlin
White-rumped Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Song Sparrow
Common Grackle
Dickcissel
Birding Tips
- 1
Scan fence posts and utility wires for perching raptors and kingbirds.
- 2
Walk field edges at dawn when sparrows and grassland species are most vocal.
- 3
Time your visit during the first week of May for maximum species diversity.
Amenities
More in Illinois
Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary
Chicago's top birding spot where the Magic Hedge traps migrating songbirds.
Jackson Park / Wooded Island
Chicago South Side migrant trap on a historic Wooded Island with 250+ species and outstanding warbler fallouts.
Illinois Beach State Park
Illinois' last natural Lake Michigan shore with 300+ species, shorebird migration, and grassland birds.
Illinois Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in Illinois →