“A Day with the Birds” Takes Flight at Creek Bend Nature Center

Spring is prime time for birdwatching in Illinois, as migrating species return and local habitats burst with life. It’s the perfect time to take a closer look at the birds around us.   

You can do just that at Creek Bend Nature Center in St. Charles. From March 16 through May 17, the Forest Preserve District of Kane County will host “A Day with the Birds,” a free, family-friendly exhibit celebrating bird conservation and citizen science.

“This exhibit is meant to get people excited about local birds and about taking care of birds in their own neighborhoods,” said Barb McKittrick, Environmental Education Manager for the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. “It’s got something for people who are experienced birdwatchers and for novices who are just getting started.”

Curated by the Kauffman Museum at Bethel College in Kansas, the exhibit features a unique collection of taxidermy specimens, artifacts, murals and artwork.

McKittrick said interest in identifying birds has grown in recent years, especially as new technology that provides instant photo and sound identification of hundreds of species has made birdwatching easier.

“I think since COVID people have gotten more interested in birding,” she said. “The apps make it very easy for citizen scientists to study birds and to track and collect real data.”

The “A Day with the Birds” exhibit is designed for visitors of all ages and includes interactive displays, reading materials and opportunities to view bird specimens up close.

The program’s title also encourages people to learn more about bird monitoring efforts such as the Christmas Bird Count, a nationwide volunteer effort that tracks bird populations.

Since 1972, the Illinois Spring Bird Count has sent hundreds of volunteers into the field each May to record the number and variety of birds found across all 102 counties.

Kane County itself has become an important location for bird habitat, thanks in part to restoration work across the Forest Preserve District’s lands.

“The Kane County Forest Preserve has restored grasslands, wetlands and woodlands, and different birds are attracted to each of those ecosystems,” McKittrick said. “There has been a resurgence in water raptors like the osprey and the bald eagle, and we’ve even seen an endangered whooping crane at Muirhead Spring Forest Preserve after the area was restored.”

Visitors to the exhibit will also learn simple ways they can help birds at home, including reducing pesticide use, planting native plants that provide nectar and food sources, adding bird feeders or water features, and keeping cats indoors. McKittrick also emphasized the importance of reducing nighttime lighting during migration as birds return or pass through Kane County.  Artificial light can cause birds to become disoriented, disrupt behaviors and lead to fatal collisions with buildings. 

“Keeping dark skies and not lighting up buildings is very important, especially during migration,” she said.

Beyond conservation, birding also offers an easy and rewarding way for people to connect with nature.

“Birds provide a great source of recreation by getting people outside into the forest preserves and immersing themselves in nature,” McKittrick said. 

“It’s an easy, natural science for beginners to get into, and that’s why so many people enjoy birding.”

And while you're visiting Creek Bend Nature Center, check out the permanent interactive exhibits, including a woodland exhibit featuring Illinois' state tree, the white oak; a wetland exhibit that provides an underwater look at the Fox River; and a prairie biodiversity exhibit with bison dating back to the late 1800s.