Kit Bernardi
| USA TODAY GoEscape Summer magazine
Along Lake Michigan, Chicago’s landmark skyline, beaches and parks not only attract millions of visitors annually, but also millions of birds, especially during spring and fall migrations. The city ranks as one of the top bird-watching destinations in the country because of its abundance of fresh water and location on the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird routes in North America.
“During migrations, Chicago attracts some of the highest numbers of diverse bird species in the country because they stop here to rest and feed in the city’s open, green spaces before continuing their journeys,” says Judy Pollock, president of the Chicago Audubon Society.
More than 350 bird species have been spotted in Chicago during annual migrations. They pass through while flying from the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Mexico and Central and South America to their breeding grounds in the northern U.S. and Canada.
In spring, uncommon species seen in Chicago include piping plovers, Kirtland’s warblers, bobolinks, whimbrels and American avocets. During fall migration, birds, including thousands of hawks, stop here before heading south.
The city’s bird-friendly public lands are…
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