Mar
29
7:00 PM19:00
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Mar
30
10:00 AM10:00
The Nighthawk at North Park Village Nature Center
RSVP Required
Join us for a program all about the mysterious nighthawk; what makes them tick, why are they disappearing, and what's being done to save them right here in Chicago.
Mar
31
7:15 PM19:15
Woodcock Walk - Marian Byrnes
RSVP Required
Join COS on an evening hike to observe the spectacular making dance of the elusive Timber doodle (or American Woodcock).
Apr
2
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Apr
2
7:00 PM19:00
The Nighthawk at Matteson Library
Join us for a program all about the mysterious nighthawk; what makes them tick, why are they disappearing, and what's being done to save them right here in Chicago.
Apr
3
7:15 PM19:15
Woodcock Walk - Indian Boundary Prairies
RSVP Required
Join COS on an evening hike to observe the spectacular making dance of the elusive Timber doodle (or American Woodcock).
Apr
5
10:00 AM10:00
The Nighthawk at Big Marsh Park
RSVP Required
Join us for a program all about the mysterious nighthawk; what makes them tick, why are they disappearing, and what's being done to save them right here in Chicago.
Apr
6
8:00 AM08:00
Bilingual McKinley Park Birdwalk / Paseo Bilingüe Parque de McKinley
RSVP Required
Join COS for a bilingual birding trip at McKinley Park! This event is great for all ages including multi-generational families where some family members are more comfortable with Spanish.
Apr
6
10:00 AM10:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Apr
9
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Apr
12
7:00 AM07:00
Big Marsh Park
RSVP Required
Join us as we explore Big Marsh for shorebirds, water birds, and early passerine migrants.
Apr
12
10:00 AM10:00
Human-Powered Birding Around Chicagoland
In Person Program
RSVP Required
How does one go about harnessing the massive network of busses and trains for maximum migration potential? Join us at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum as we explore that very question with Lindsay Welbers, Author of Chicago Transit Hikes.
Apr
13
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Bird Sanctuary Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary (Magic Hedge) for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Apr
13
10:00 AM10:00
Humboldt Park Sunday Social Bird Walk
RSVP Required
Join us as we explore Humboldt Park as migratory birds flock to this incredible green oasis in the surrounding urban environment.
Apr
16
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Apr
17
6:00 PM18:00
Flock Club: Hopewell Brewery
COS proudly presents the newest social event by and for birders; Flock Club! Join us as we gather to share our passion for birds in a casual and accessible environment.
Apr
19
7:00 AM07:00
Indian Ridge Marsh Bird Walk
RSVP Required
Join us for a morning of birding at one of Chicago's hidden gems - Indian Ridge Marsh! We will be looking for water birds, early passerine migrants, and shorebirds.
Apr
19
7:00 AM07:00
Montrose Point Beginner Bird Walk
RSVP Required
This trip is specifically for beginning birders. We will focus on birding basics and identifying the most common birds in Chicago.
Apr
19
12:00 PM12:00
Bird Photography at North Park Village Nature Center
RSVP Required
Join us for a hands-on workshop into the captivating world of bird photography with professional bird photographer, J’orge @yorickgarcia! Gain insights into kickstarting your bird photography adventure, from choosing the right gear to setting your camera, and mentally preparing yourself for capturing that perfect shot.
Apr
23
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Apr
25
to Apr 28
City Nature Challenge 2025
COS is excited to once again be a co-organizer of the Chicago area team in this year’s City Nature Challenge!
Apr
26
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Dunes Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Beach Dunes for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Apr
26
10:00 AM10:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Apr
27
8:00 AM08:00
Marian Byrnes - Birds & Botany
RSVP Required
With over 100 acres of wetlands, prairie, and savannah to explore, we'll be on the look out for a variety of early migrants including rails, warblers, sparrows, and raptors.
Apr
27
12:00 PM12:00
Piping Plover Pale Ale Release
Everyone’s favorite bird beer in honor of Chicago’s Piping Plovers is back! Join us as we drink for a cause with an excellent craft brew.
Apr
28
6:00 AM06:00
Monday Morning Birding at Montrose
RSVP Required
Join COS for an early morning bird outing at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary.
Apr
28
6:00 AM06:00
Beginner Bird Walk at Bill Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary
RSVP Required
Join COS for a beginner bird walk at Bill Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary.
Apr
28
6:00 PM18:00
After Work Bird Walk at Millennium Park
RSVP Required
Join COS for an afternoon walk as we decompress from a long day at work and look for birds at Millennium and Grant Park.
Apr
30
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
May
3
10:00 AM10:00
Bird Photography at Big Marsh
RSVP Required
Join us for a hands-on workshop into the captivating world of bird photography with professional bird photographer, J’orge @yorickgarcia! Gain insights into kickstarting your bird photography adventure, from choosing the right gear to setting your camera, and mentally preparing yourself for capturing that perfect shot.
May
4
10:00 AM10:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
May
7
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
May
10
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Bird Sanctuary Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary (Magic Hedge) for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
May
14
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
May
15
to May 18
IN Dunes Birding Festival
One of the most popular and fastest growing birding festivals in North America returns! The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival takes place on May 15-18, 2025 and will feature hundreds of trips highlighting the extraordinary bird diversity present in northwest Indiana and eastern Illinois.
May
17
10:00 AM10:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
May
21
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
May
24
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Dunes Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Beach Dunes for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
May
28
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
May
31
9:00 AM09:00
Bird Photography at Northerly Island
RSVP Required
Join us for a hands-on workshop into the captivating world of bird photography with professional bird photographer, J’orge @yorickgarcia! Gain insights into kickstarting your bird photography adventure, from choosing the right gear to setting your camera, and mentally preparing yourself for capturing that perfect shot.
Jun
4
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Jun
7
9:00 AM09:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Jun
8
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Bird Sanctuary Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary (Magic Hedge) for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Jun
11
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Jun
18
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Jun
21
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Dunes Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Beach Dunes for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Jun
22
9:00 AM09:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Jul
12
9:00 AM09:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Jul
12
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Bird Sanctuary Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary (Magic Hedge) for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Jul
20
9:00 AM09:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Jul
26
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Dunes Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Beach Dunes for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Aug
3
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Bird Sanctuary Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary (Magic Hedge) for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Aug
16
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Dunes Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Beach Dunes for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Sep
6
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Bird Sanctuary Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary (Magic Hedge) for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Sep
12
to Sep 14
The Urban Birding Festival
Chicago Ornithological Society is proud to present, in association with our many birding partners, The Urban Birding Festival! Taking place in and around Chicago on September 12-14, 2025 this festival highlights the extraordinary bird diversity present in the area with over 400 recorded species in the Chicago region.
Sep
20
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Dunes Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Beach Dunes for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Oct
18
9:00 AM09:00
Montrose Point AND Dunes Stewardship Workday
Join the stewards of Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary for a workday at one of the top bird watching spots in the country!
Mar
28
7:00 PM19:00
Woodcock Walk - Air Station Prairie
RSVP Required
Join COS on an evening hike to observe the spectacular making dance of the elusive Timber doodle (or American Woodcock).
Mar
26
6:00 PM18:00
Birds & Bytes: The Biking Big Year
Virtual Program
RSVP Required
Join COS for the latest episode of our virtual program series Birds & Bytes for a conversation with Beau Schaeffer about the greenest big year!
Mar
26
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Mar
24
7:00 PM19:00
Woodcock Walk - Air Station Prairie
RSVP Required
Join COS on an evening hike to observe the spectacular making dance of the elusive Timber doodle (or American Woodcock).
Mar
23
10:00 AM10:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Mar
23
8:00 AM08:00
Douglass Park Bird Walk
RSVP Required
Join us as we explore Douglass Park and observe winter birds and early spring migrants.
Mar
21
7:00 PM19:00
Woodcock Walk - Air Station Prairie
RSVP Required
Join COS on an evening hike to observe the spectacular making dance of the elusive Timber doodle (or American Woodcock).
Mar
19
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Mar
15
8:00 AM08:00
Big Marsh Mudhen Run!
Join Chicago Park District, Friends of Big Marsh, and Chicago Ornithological Society for the return of the Mudhen 5k fun run at Big Marsh Park on Saturday, March 15!
Mar
15
8:00 AM08:00
Bilingual McKinley Park Birdwalk / Paseo Bilingüe Parque de McKinley
RSVP Required
Join COS for a bilingual birding trip at McKinley Park! This event is great for all ages including multi-generational families where some family members are more comfortable with Spanish.
Mar
12
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Mar
11
5:30 PM17:30
Flock Club Book Club: The Backyard Bird Chronicles
Join COS for Flock Club Book Club to discuss Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Chronicles. In the spirit of our yearlong celebration of green birding, we’ll discuss this tome on the ultimate green birding outing—the kind that is not an outing at all!
Mar
9
9:00 AM09:00
Peregrine Watch
RSVP Required
Peregrine Falcons are right at home in Chicago’s urban cliffs and canyons and can be seen tearing through the sky in search of food for hungry chicks. Join COS President Edward Warden as we go out in search of these mighty birds and see them in action.
Mar
8
8:00 AM08:00
Bilingual McKinley Park Birdwalk / Paseo Bilingüe Parque de McKinley
RSVP Required
Join COS for a bilingual birding trip at McKinley Park! This event is great for all ages including multi-generational families where some family members are more comfortable with Spanish.
Mar
2
10:00 AM10:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Mar
2
8:00 AM08:00
Crabtree Nature Center Bird Walk
Join COS for a morning birding trip to Crabtree Nature Center in Barrington.
RSVP Required.
Mar
1
9:00 AM09:00
Wild Things Conference
Wild Things Conference, the largest gathering of Chicagoland nature nerds returns this spring! Join more than 2000 nature lovers from across the region for a day full of educational sessions ranging from plants and animals, to restoration practices and story telling, to environmental justice and recreation. And of course, one of the largest groups of offerings is a track all about birds.
Feb
25
6:00 PM18:00
Birds & Bytes: Tarik Shahzad's Big Year
Virtual Program
RSVP Required
Join COS for the latest episode of our virtual program series Birds & Bytes for a conversation with the newest Cook County big year record holder; Tarik Shahzad!
Feb
23
9:00 AM09:00
Jackson Park Winter Walk
RSVP Required
Join us as we explore Jackson Park and observe winter birds.
Feb
16
10:00 AM10:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Feb
14
to Feb 17
Great Chicago Backyard Bird Count: A Year of Green Birding Event
Join the 2025 Great Chicago Backyard Bird Count! Learn how to join this year’s team and be a part of this citizen science project from the comfort of your own home. This event is part of COS’s Year of Green Birding.
Feb
12
7:00 AM07:00
North Pond Wednesday Bird Walks
In cooperation with Third Coast Birding and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, COS is proud to continue our long tradition of Wednesday morning bird walks at North Pond!
Feb
8
9:00 AM09:00
Starved Rock Scramble
RSVP Required
On this trip, we'll explore the magical winter landscape of the canyons along the Illinois River at Starved Rock- Ottawa, Kaskasia and Illinois.
Feb
2
10:00 AM10:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Feb
2
9:00 AM09:00
Douglass Park Winter Walk
RSVP Required
Join us as we explore Douglass Park and observe winter birds.
Feb
1
9:00 AM09:00
Chicago River Basin Blitz
RSVP Required
Join us as we conduct a blitz of some of the best spots on the Chicago River to observe winter waterfowl.
Jan
25
9:00 AM09:00
Calumet River Basin Blitz
RSVP Required
Join us as we conduct a blitz of some of the best spots on the Calumet River to observe winter waterfowl.
Jan
19
10:00 AM10:00
LaBagh Woods Stewardship Workday
Join us for a habitat restoration workday at COS’s flagship stewardship site LaBagh Woods, and help bring back critical bird habitat.
Jan
18
10:00 AM10:00
FULL - Snowy Owl Irruption!
RSVP Required
Join Chicago Ornithological Society for an in person program as we explore and take a deep dive into everything we know about Snowy Owl irruptions!
Jan
15
7:00 AM07:00