Many of our local woodpeckers sport black, white and red feathers, and the pileated woodpecker is one of them. It’s easy to distinguish...

You’ve probably seen fox squirrels and gray squirrels scurrying around our trees and forests, but you may not have spied a red squirrel...

Spotting a snowy owl can be a real thrill because these owls aren’t all that common in our area, and they are only here in the winter....

Surely you’ve heard that some birds fly south for the winter, right? Well, dark-eyed juncos fly south too, but for them, northern...

In the spirit of Christmas, let’s learn a little more about Santa’s reindeer gang. Reindeer, which we more commonly known as caribou, are...

Canada geese are one of the most well-known and widespread birds, but many people don’t like them because they can be a little aggressive...

Did you know white-tailed deer are the biggest mammal living in the wild in Illinois? Bears occasionally pass through our state but don’t...

Coyotes are part of the dog family, and they are most closely related to wolves. Coyotes are the largest predator in Illinois. They...

We have wild turkeys roaming all across Will County, but these wild birds are quite a bit different than the turkeys that grace our...

Have you ever seen one of these brown and black caterpillars? These are woolly bear caterpillars, and they grow up to be Isabella tiger...

Acorns are in high demand at this time of year, with animals eating up and stocking up to prepare for winter. Squirrels are the most...

If you’re not a fan of spiders, wolf spiders might stop you in your tracks. Wolf spiders tend to be big and hairy, making them a little...

Do you love how the leaves change color each fall? The pigments that create the bright yellows and oranges that make the fall landscape...

What you probably call a ladybug would more appropriately be called a lady beetle. Why? Because ladybugs are really beetles, not bugs....

What is an owl pellet? It’s not owl poop, as is sometimes thought. Owl pellets are bits of undigested food that owls regurgitate a few...

Red-tailed hawks are the most familiar and common hawks in North America, often seen soaring overhead and perched upon posts scanning the...

Are you as clever and cunning as a fox? A fox’s clever and cunning behavior serve it well in the animal kingdom, where it’s often eat or...

Did you know bobcats live in Illinois? They were once nearly eliminated from our state, but their population has since recovered. They...

If you’ve ever walked into a spider web, you probably know how sticky it is. The stickiness comes from a glue-like substance the spiders...

A daddy long legs might be one of the few spiders you recognize, so it might surprise you to learn they aren’t really spiders at all....