Go Birding: Local Parks & Popular Spots

(For a list of mobility-friendly spots, scroll down.)

Urbana Park District:

Champaign County Forest Preserve District:

CCFPD Bird Checklist

Preserves and Facilities:

UIUC Campus

Outside Champaign County:

Birdnotes Listserve

Join Birdnotes to get the latest local bird sightings.

Join Birdnotes

See a Google map of locations that are commonly mentioned on Birdnotes:

Common Locations on Birdnotes

Need Help Identifying Birds?

Audubon Online Bird Guide

Audubon Bird Guide App

Want expert tips for identifying birds? Watch these videos by Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

Our Member's Favorite Mobility-Friendly Birding Spots

For further information about the accessibility of these sites, please contact them directly.

Urbana Park District

    • Features a paved trail that runs through prairie, along woodland edges, and near creeks.
    • Watch the feeders from inside Anita Purves Nature Center.
    • The ‘magic bridge’ is right next to a parking lot, and has both steps and a ramp. (See a map of Crystal Lake Park, showing the ‘magic bridge’ and other birding landmarks frequently mentioned on Birdnotes.)
    • The Lakehouse is a good place to see swallows in the summer.
    • A paved sidewalk runs from the nature center to Crystal Lake park along the west side of the pool.

Champaign County Forest Preserve District

    • Buffalo Trace prairie has a paved trail.
    • The Botanical Gardens also have a paved trail through a portion of the gardens.
    • Watch the feeders from inside the Interpretive Center.
    • A paved trail runs from the parking lot at the Interpretive Center to a prairie restoration.
    • Enjoy a driving tour of the preserve, and watch for birds on the lake, in the wetland, and other areas of the preserve.
    • Possibility Pier is accessible.

U of I Arboretum

Vermilion County Conservation District

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