You’ll Never Guess How Many Bald Eagles Call Illinois Home (Lots)

You may not have known this (because I sure didn't), but Illinois is actually a bald eagle hotspot all year round, and especially during the winter months.

It might surprise you to learn that Illinois regularly hosts more than 3,000 bald eagles in the winter months, which is more than anywhere in the continental US outside of Alaska. These birds arrive as early as December and stick around through March, with January and February being the peak viewing months.

Why do they come? It all comes down to open water and food. When our lakes and streams here in Illinois freeze solid, sections of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers stay unfrozen thanks to locks, dams, and moving water. That means plenty of fish, something that bald eagles really groove on, and prime hunting spots.

The Bald Eagles Look At Illinois Like You Would Look At A Favorite Winter Getaway

Only a small number of eagles actually live and nest here year-round. Most of the thousands of eagles wintering in Illinois do their breeding farther north in places like the Upper Midwest and Canada, then head back north when spring arrives. There are just over a few dozen active nesting pairs here in Illinois during the summer, but the real spectacle comes with their winter migration.

Taking a walk along the river bluffs at Pere Marquette State Park, Starved Rock State Park, or even around Alton and Grafton will often reward you with sightings, especially during organized eagle-watching events and festivals that celebrate all things related to bald eagles.

Illinois' Bald Eagles: Where and When to See Them This Winter

If you’ve ever bundled up with binoculars and headed out to watch wildlife, you know there’s something downright magical about spotting a bald eagle in flight, especially here in Illinois.

If you'd like to head out to see them for yourself, here are some great spots in Illinois to go for a look:

• Starved Rock State Park (Utica): Starved Rock is one of the most popular eagle-watching spots in the state. Eagles often perch on or soar around Plum Island near the lock and dam, and overlooks like Eagle Cliff or Starved Rock Overlook give you great vantage points over the Illinois River. Morning is usually best for sightings.
• Pere Marquette State Park (Grafton): This scenic park near the Illinois-Mississippi river confluence is famous for bald eagle watching. The park hosts Bald Eagle Days throughout the season with guided observation drives and programs that help you spot and identify eagles.
• Mississippi River Areas (Alton & Savanna): Around Alton and the Mississippi Palisades near Savanna, eagles congregate along the river bluffs and open water. The Alton Eagle Ice Festival celebrates this annual migration with family activities and birding fun.
• Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge: Near Marion, this refuge hosts eagle-watch programs and offers chances to see eagles and other wildlife in a more natural, less crowded setting.
• Chicago Area & Northeast Illinois: Believe it or not, eagles can even show up near Chicago. There have been reported sightings along the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Des Plaines River near Channahon, and Fox River areas.