Order Galliformes
Family Odontophoridae
Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus
Status and abundance: Common year-round resident.
Habitat: Weedy fields and hedgerows, often near agricultural areas.
Records and remarks: Bobwhites are conspicuous inhabitants of southern Illinois during spring and summer when their distinctive whistle bob white song can be heard. They are usually seen as singles or pairs during spring. Later in spring and summer, sometimes an adult will be seen followed by a parade of chicks. At other seasons, they form coveys and are less conspicuous unless flushed from cover when they burst suddenly into flight. Most counts made by birders come from organized bird counts and from the Breeding Bird Survey. Typical daily high counts are less than 50 birds, but this depends on habitat quality and observer effort.
67, Jefferson Co., 27 Jun 1997 (VK)
Documentation: Specimen—ad. male, Carbondale, Jackson Co., 10 Sep 1954 (SIU A-126).
Family Phasianidae
[Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus]
Status and abundance: Hypothetical. Locally uncommon year-round resident at sites where it has been introduced.
Habitat: Brushy fields and hedgerows near agricultural lands where waste grain is present.
Records and remarks: This Asian species was first introduced into the United States about 1890, but has sustained populations in southern Illinois. Many are released annually at regional hunt clubs and at Wayne Fitzgerrell SP, Franklin County. Some that escape hunters may breed, but without annual supplementation from release programs the population is not sustainable. Occasionally a pheasant can be seen at other sites in the region, presumably having escaped from local farms or hunt clubs.
12, Rend Lake, 25 Jan 2012 (KM)
Documentation: Specimen—ad. male, Union Co., Apr 1988 (SIU uncatalogued).
Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus
Status and abundance: Formerly locally uncommon year-round resident near release sites. Now assumed to be absent.
Habitat: Forests intermixed with gaps providing dense cover, often not far from water.
Records and remarks: Formerly an uncommon year-round resident, but extirpated sometime around the late 1890s or 1900. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reintroduced some into Pope County in 1953-1958 and 1967, and into Alexander County in 1972, but the populations did not survive. Introductions into Union County and northern Alexander County seemed to be doing better, but there have been no confirmed reports since the 1990s. Breeding was confirmed at Atwood Ridge in Union County (1989 and 1990). Some past confirmed records: northern Pope County (1 drumming, Delwood, 3 Apr 1987 (TF)); one seen at Stoneface, Saline Co., 15 Mar 1989 (TF). Formerly reported during the Union County CBC; the highest count was 4 on 3 Jan 1987.
Documentation: Specimen—ad., Alexander Co., fall 1973 (IDNR).
Greater Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus cupido
Status and abundance: Extirpated. One recent record.
Records and remarks: Formerly a locally uncommon year-round resident in prairie grasslands. Colonies in Perry and Jefferson Counties were last recorded in the early 1950's (Bennett 1952). Fourteen, for example, were seen in one soybean field near DuQuoin in fall 1951 (G. Sanford, JWH, RB). There were some long-distance dispersal events that periodically accounted for extralimital records such as one at Crab Orchard NWR on 20 Dec 1940 (Bennett 1952). Two or 3 were found east of Enfield, White Co., 14 Apr 1998 (Meadowlark 1999 7:148). No reports since then.
Documentation: Specimen--juv., Jefferson Co., June 1951 (SIU A-136).
Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
Status and abundance: Locally common year-round resident in Shawnee Hills and Floodplains. Locally fairly common year-round resident in Till Plain.
Habitat: Mature forests and second-growth woodlands, farm land.
Records and remarks: Wild Turkeys were formerly common throughout the region. They were common food items among the archaeological excavations at the Pettit site in northern Alexander County dated at 800-1,000 AD (Breitburg 1990). By 1900, however, turkeys had been overhunted and were nearly extirpated. A flock was seen near Olive Branch in 1907 (Cory 1909), and some were thought to be present in Union County until about 1935 (Smith and Parmalee 1955). Reintroductions by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources from 1954-1958 were unsuccessful, but those in 1959-1967 again established a viable breeding population in southern Illinois (Calhoun and Garver 1974). The population grew slowly but to a large enough size that hunting was re-instituted. Numbers continue to climb and it is common to find groups of several dozen individuals nearly anywhere in the region now.
Breeding begins early in spring. Males can be heard gobbling especially during April and early May. Nests are placed on the ground under tree falls or in thick vegetation. Some records:
60, s.e. Saline Co., 9 Dec 1986 (SO)
110, Rend Lake, 16 Dec 2006 (DK)
33, Crab Orchard NWR, 30 Jan 1985 (JCR)
Documentation: Specimen—male, n. end of Possum Trot Trail, Alexander Co., 17 Sep 1970 (ISM 604592).
Order Podicipediformes
Family Podicipedidae
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Early September – Mid-May
Status and abundance: Common spring and fall migrant. Fairly common winter resident. Rare summer visitor and resident.
Habitat: Ponds, lakes, and marshes.
Records and remarks: Although sometimes found in the middle of large lakes, Pied-billed Grebes prefer foraging and resting in the shallow bays of lakes. Known colloquially as hell divers, they can disappear from view by slowly sinking into the water without a splash.
AUTUMN—A few appear each year during Jul or Aug before the typical fall migration period. These early birds may be post-breeding wanderers which bred elsewhere in or near Illinois.
ad., s.w. Jackson Co., 12 July 1986 (WDR)
imm., Union Co. CA, 30 July 1983 (JCR)
2 ad. & 1 imm., Saline Co. CA, 18 Aug 1987 (WDR)
1, Mermet Lake CA, 3 Sep 1983 (JCR)
80, Saline Co., 17 Sep 1994 (JD)
131, Crab Orchard NWR, 21 Oct 1996 (BD)
225, Crab Orchard NWR, 2 Dec 2000 (KM, DK, FB)
WINTER—As long as open water is available, some will linger into winter, but counts of more than 10 or so are unusual. Several attempt to over-winter each year on warm-water lakes even during very cold winters.
1, Harrisburg, Saline Co., 16 Jan 1991 (TF)
18, Lake of Egypt, Williamson Co., 28 Jan 1984 (JCR)
25, Crab Orchard NWR, 8 Feb 1989 (WDR)
SPRING—Grebes return very early in spring, soon after the first thaw. High counts are usually small, typically not more than 20-30 birds, except at the major refuges.
1, Carbondale, 17 Feb 1986 (KM)
50, Crab Orchard NWR, 19 Feb 2000 (KM, FB)
150, Cypress Creek NWR, 12 Apr 2009 (DK, MS)
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 24 May 1984 (TF)
SUMMER—Nesting occurs only rarely. Summer records are associated with swamps, strip mine ponds, or flooded wheat fields.
Nest with 2 eggs, Lake of Egypt, 24 Apr 1994 (TF)
Brood of 7 yg., Cypress Creek NWR, 17 May 1992 (TF)
2 juvs., Carbondale, 13 & 20 June, with one still present 18 July 1991 (PM)
3 nests, s.w. Jackson Co., 20 June 1973 (D. Hayward, VK)
2 imm., Union Co. CA, 21 June 1982 (P. Kittle)
1, Horseshoe Lake CA, 29 June 1985 (SO)
3, n. Randolph Co., 3 July 1985 (TF, JCR)
2 grown young, Pulaski Co., 19 Jul 1994 (TF)
2 adults with 2 young, Cypress Creek NWR, 28 Jul 2000 (FB)
5 nesting attempts, sw. Jackson Co., all summer 1996 (BD)
Documentation: Specimen—Marion, Williamson Co., 1937 (SIU A-1939).
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
Mid-October - Late April
Status and abundance: Fairly common migrant. Uncommon winter resident. Very rare summer visitor.
Habitat: Large reservoirs, occasionally smaller lakes and ponds.
Records and remarks: Far more numerous than the similar-looking Eared Grebe. Identification can be tricky, especially during spring, because many individuals are molting into breeding plumage during northward migration. Shape and structure can be more useful to arrive at correct identification than details of plumage. Horned Grebe head shape is more oval with the peak appearing well behind the eye, whereas Eared Grebe has a rounder head often appearing peaked just above the eye. Horned Grebes have thicker straighter bills often with a pale tip, whereas the bills of Eared Grebes are narrower with an upturned lower mandible. There is no pale bill tip in Eared Grebe. Finally, Eared Grebes appear, even at some distance, to be “floating puffballs” because of their round body shape that rides high on the water. In contrast, Horned Grebes ride much lower in the water and are sleek in shape.
AUTUMN—Large aggregations of Horned Grebes sometimes occur at Rend Lake and Crab Orchard Lake during fall. A few will linger late into December as long as open water is available.
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 24 Sep 1988 (BD, WDR)
60, Crab Orchard NWR, 1 Nov 1985 (SO)
300, Rend Lake, 23 Nov 2006 (DK)
260, Crab Orchard NWR, 24 Nov 1982 (JCR)
198, Rend Lake, 20 Dec 2003 (FB)
WINTER—Numbers at Baldwin Lake can be remarkable. Elsewhere, numbers during winter are much smaller.
80, Baldwin Lake, 3 Jan 1989 (RG)
76, Baldwin Lake, 9 Jan 1988 (S. Russell, M. Peters), with 25 still there 7 Feb 1988 (RG)
60, Baldwin Lake, 21 Jan 1992 (TF, JD)
SPRING—A few arrive just after the first spring thaw in late February, but migration is not really fully underway until March. Spring high counts are distinctly lower than fall; 15-25 birds are a good single day count.
1, Rend Lake, 9 Feb 1991 (WDR)
230, Baldwin Lake, 12 Feb 2000 (KM)
2, Crab Orchard NWR, 29 Apr 1984 (TF, K. Richmond)
1, Sparta, Randolph Co., 3 May 1986 (TF et al.)
3, Jackson Co., 7 May 1977 (SBC)
1, Horseshoe Lake CA, 9 May 1995 (TF)
SUMMER—ad., near Prairie du Rocher, Randolph Co., 13 June 1971 (HDB)
Documentation: Specimen—Crab Orchard NWR, Williamson Co., 19 Oct 1955 (SIU A-2).
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
Late November - Early April
Status and abundance: Rare migrant and winter visitor.
Habitat: Reservoirs.
Records and remarks: Migrates northwest to southeast from central Canada to the Atlantic coast generally passing well north of southern Illinois. Not detected annually but records have increased in the last 20 years.
AUTUMN—1, Rend Lake, 27 Oct 1985 (LH)
3, Lake Glendale, Pope Co., 28 Oct 1967 (V. Shaw)
6, near Murphysboro, Jackson Co., 26 Oct-7 Nov 1946 (JWH)
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 10-17 Nov 1984 (JCR et al.)
1, Rend Lake, 22 Nov 1975 (MMo)
1, Rend Lake, 4 Dec 2008 (LS)
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 6 Dec 2003 (FB, m.ob.)
WINTER—4, Baldwin Lake, 1 Jan 1994 (TF)
2, Kinkaid Lake, 1 Jan 2010 (KMc, M. Gould)
1, Rend Lake, 3 Jan 2003 (FB)
1, Rend Lake, Franklin Co., 15 Jan and 19 Feb 2013 (LS)
1, Mermet, 16 Jan 1999 (RR, FB)
1, Baldwin Lake, 26 Jan-16 Feb 2008 (TD, KM, m.ob.)
2, Baldwin Lake, St. Clair Co., 6 Feb 2018 (DM, m.ob.)
SPRING—2, Crab Orchard NWR, 6-19 Mar 1994 (KM)
4, Crab Orchard NWR, 20 Mar-9 Apr 1971 (G. Cooper, VK)
1, Lake Murphysboro, 7 Apr 1954 (RB)
3, Mermet, 9 Apr 2014 (KM)
Documentation: Photograph—Crab Orchard NWR, 20 Mar-9 Apr 1971 (on file at ISM).
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Late November – Mid-April
Status and abundance: Rare spring and fall migrant. Very rare winter visitor.
Habitat: Small to large lakes, especially ones with extensive shallow areas.
Records and remarks: Probably more numerous in spring than fall (formerly the opposite). May be overlooked due to similarity with Horned Grebe, with which it sometimes associates. See notes in Horned Grebe account for identification tips. Observers are encouraged to archive photos in eBird.
AUTUMN—All autumn records are from rather late in the season, but a few could occur as early as late September in some years.
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 24 Nov 1985 (TF, SO)
1, Rend Lake, 28 Nov 1987 (TF)
3, Crab Orchard NWR, 6 Dec 2003 (FB, m.ob.)
3, Rend Lake, Franklin Co., 17-19 Dec 1993 (TF)
5, Crab Orchard NWR, 18 Dec 1983 (TF)
WINTER—Jan records may be very late fall migrants, while Feb observations may involve spring migrants.
1, Baldwin Lake, 9-16 Jan 1988 (S. Russell et al.)
1, Baldwin Lake, 10-11 Jan 1986 (WDR, TF, RG)
2, Baldwin Lake, 8 Feb 93 (TF, JD)
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 19 Feb 2012 (TH, KM)
SPRING—Most records seem to occur during March.
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 15 Mar 1987 (WDR)
3, Rend Lake, 15 Mar 1998 (LS)
1, Carbondale, 19 Apr 1976 (BP)
2, Union Co. CA, 4 May 1992 (TF et al.)
Documentation: Photograph—Crab Orchard NWR, Williamson Co., 18 Dec 1983 (SIU AP-4).
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis
Late October - Late November
Status and abundance: Very rare fall migrant.
Habitat: Reservoirs.
Records and remarks: Currently, two similarly appearing species occur in North America. Odds overwhelmingly favor southern Illinois birds to be Western Grebe and not Clark’s Grebe (A. clarkii), but observers should try to get photos of any Aechmophorus grebe occurring in the region and archive the photos in eBird. Hybrids do occur, so detailed photos and descriptions are desirable.
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 8-31 Oct 1941 (LB)
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 22 Oct 1994 (TF)
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 10-28 Nov 1993 (BD, m.ob.)
2, Rend Lake, 15 Nov 1975 (BP, MMo)
1, Union Co. CA, 16 Nov 1996 (CH, D. Miller)
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 20 Nov 2006 (J. Chapman)
1, Crab Orchard NWR, 23 Nov 1970 (G. Cooper, VK)
1, Rend Lake, 1 Jan 1995 (LS)
Documentation: Written descriptions—Crab Orchard NWR, Williamson Co., 10-28 Nov 1993.