morning people

Morning person? Early classes? Head out early to check out birds

• Canadian Goose—Geese head for water at dusk and dawn, so look up around 6-9am and 4-7pm. In the afternoon, check small bodies of water like ponds and marshes for resting geese.

• Cardinal—first to your birdfeeder at dawn and last to grab an evening meal. In Chicago year round

• Robin--some migrate, but keep an eye out in the winter too.

• Sparrows--another popular year-round inhabitant.

night owls

Not a morning person? Don't worry, there's still plenty of animals to spot at night

• Virginia opossums opportunistic city dwellers who come out at night to search for whatever food they come across, including what they find in dumpsters, bird feeders, and pet food

• 13 bat species live in Illinois, with at least 5 that are common in northern Illinois. Many Illinois species live in the cave regions of southern Illinois and the valleys of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.

• Skunks are nocturnal. They live in urban environments and frequent lawns, cemeteries, and golf courses. They’re habitat generalists and can live in lots of different environments, like farmland and woodlands. They’re easier to spot in warmer months, they spend extended periods of time in their dens in winter, but they don’t hibernate.