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Identify Wildlife

Cat-like or Dog-like Mammals

Bobcat sitting in the snow.

Bobcat

It is not uncommon to see coyotes during the day in urban areas.

Coyote

Close-up of a gray fox in a tree.

Gray Fox

Red fox standing in the snow.

Red Fox

Common Backyard Mammals

Eastern Cottontail

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

A raccoon in the snow. Raccoons are gray-brown mammals with a dark eyemask and dark rings on their tails.

Raccoon

Close-up of striped skunk.

Striped Skunk

Fox squirrel sitting in a tree. Fox squirrels are larger than the other tree squirrels with large, bushy tails, grizzled gray and brown fur and rusty colored fur on their underside.

Tree Squirrel

Opossum sitting in a tree in the winter.

Virginia Opossum

Burrowing Mammals

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American Badger

Eastern Chipmunk

Chipmunk

An Eastern mole coming out of its burrow.

Eastern Mole

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel sitting in the grass.

Ground Squirrel

Plains Pocket Gopher

Plains Pocket Gopher

Prairie vole eating a stem.

Vole

A well-fed woodchuck is sitting upright on a green lawn with its paws near its face.

Woodchuck or Groundhog

Mammals Found Near Water

Beaver sitting on a riverbank.

Beaver

Muskrats have thin, vertically flattened tails.

Muskrat

River otter at the edge of a snowy riverbank.

River Otter

Weasel-like Mammals

Long-tailed weasel Feature photo

Weasel

American mink standing on concrete.

American Mink

Deer-like Mammals

Male elk walking near the woods.

American Elk

Male fallow deer have white spots and antlers that are wider and flattened compared to a white-tailed deer. Fallow deer are not native to Illinois.

Non-native Deer

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White-tailed Deer

Other Mammals

Bats

Bats

Armadillo

Nine-banded Armadillo

White-footed mouse

Rats and Mice

Very Rare Visiting Mammals

Black bear

Black Bear

Gray wolf laying in the snow.

Gray Wolf

Close-up of a cougar.

Mountain Lion

Invasive Species

Close up of a feral swine.

Feral Swine

Two nutria laying on their shelter in a wetland.

Nutria

Birds

Adult American crow

American Crow

Red-winged Blackbird

Blackbird

Canada geese can be identified by the black head and neck, white check patch, and gray-brown back. Males and females look similar.

Canada Goose

Tom (male) turkey displaying his feathers on a snowy day.

Eastern Wild Turkey

European starling

European Starling

Male house sparrow

House Sparrow

Adult male mallard in his breeding plumage swimming in the water.

Mallard

Pigeon 2

Pigeon

Sandhill cranes are tall birds with a red cap, white cheek patch and gray feathers that sometimes take on a rusty color.

Sandhill Crane

Adult male mute swan swimming on the water.

Swan

An adult turkey vulture in flight.

Vulture

Red-headed Woodpecker

Woodpecker

Amphibians and Reptiles

Green treefrog

Frogs & Toads

Common five-lined skink

Lizards

Northern Watersnake

Snakes

Eastern Box Turtle

Turtles

Salamander close up

Salamanders