I was born and raised in Illinois, about 40 miles west of Chicago in a town along the Fox River. An area rich with wildlife. Coyotes, deer, foxes, possums, skunks, and raccoons aren’t too hard to find. There’s a generous variety of fish in the river. Bass (large mouth and small), catfish (channel and flathead) musky, bluegill, pike.  And as for the birds, with our agricultural land and prairie remnants and forests many species can be found. 

With this new panel project, I wanted to share the most common species of raptors. These seven species are the most common birds of prey that can be found in Illinois. I will say that Osprey should be included in this group, but I was limited in space in this composition even though it’s one of my largest panels. 

Going clockwise starting at the top: Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) in a full stoop. Cooper’s Hawk (Astur cooperii) perched on a branch. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a stump. Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) giving the eagle a stern glare. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) looking over its shoulder at you. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) perched on a branch. And last the small but mighty American Kestrel (Falco sparverius). 

Thank you for looking at birds with me.