Ornithology

Birds connect us immediately to nature; they are the wildlife most visible in our daily lives.

Learn to identify birds you see every day, and study bird biology, behavior, and conservation. Our Ornithology classes teach you the basics of birding as well as provide you with outdoor experience identifying the wide variety of birds found on our 1,700 acres.

Members:  Arboretum members must present their Membership Card at the entry gate with each visit.

View and enroll in the schedule of classes.

Ornithology Certificate Program

This field-oriented certificate program leads you through a study of bird biology, behavior, identification, and conservation. Lectures and lab work provide foundational knowledge. You'll also have the chance to receive practical birding experience, guided by expert instructors at local birding "hot spots." Upon certificate completion, you will understand the roles birds play in our ecosystem and be able to identify over 100 migrant and resident birds common to northern Illinois.

Through participation you will:

• Gain an understanding of Chicago-area avian ecology and biodiversity.
• Develop confidence in your ability to identify birds through song, sight, and behavior.
• Build a strong foundation of natural science knowledge.
• Share experiences with people of similar interests.
• Meet regional professionals.
• Enjoy observing birds in a variety of outdoor settings.

Certificate Outline

The foundation of the certificate is built through eight core courses. Field Electives (24 contact hours required) allow you to put your knowledge into practice and give you the flexibility to build a program that matches your interests. Courses do not have prerequisites, nor are they sequential. Field identification classes will be kept to smaller enrollments in order to increase individual attention. Students usually complete the certificate in one or more years.

Core Courses

The eight core courses are divided into two groups: Field Study courses and Natural History of Birds courses:

Field Study: Birds of Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall
These four field courses build your skill in identifying birds by size, shape, sound and song, color (plumage), behavior, and field marks. Time will be devoted to choosing and using binoculars, spotting scopes, and field guides. A major portion of each class will be spent birding at locations within the Arboretum as well as some local "hot spots." At completion of the four sessions, participants will know 100-120 local birds by sight and/or song. Courses are not sequential.
• O601, O602, O603 and O604 (Replaces Birds of Illinois: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall).

Natural History of Birds
These four courses combine field and classroom work to build your fundamental knowledge of bird biology, behavior, evolutionary relationships, and conservation. In the classroom, we will focus on basic skills, vocabulary, and concepts. Work in the field or in the lab will be devoted to exploring bird biology and ecology and practicing bird observation skills.

Natural History of Birds: Biology
Gain the skills, vocabulary, and concepts to understand avian structure and function. Flight, feathers, anatomical features such as feet, bills, bones, along with metabolism, muscle structure, and intelligence, will provide a well-rounded understanding of what makes a bird. Indoor sessions will consist of lecture, discussion, and hands-on activities. Outdoor sessions will provide opportunities to see how all these amazing physical features adapt in the wild.
• O610 (Replaces Introduction to Ornithology). 15 hours. Winter.

Natural History of Birds: Behavior
Discover the significance of songs and plumage in determining territory and mate selection. Examine how nest construction and foraging patterns affect reproductive success and daily survival. Discuss the costs and benefits of bird behaviors. A large portion of this class will be spent in the field, observing and analyzing behaviors that link bird species to each other and their environment.
• O620 (Replaces Behavioral Ecology I). 18 hours. Spring/Summer.

Natural History of Birds: Evolution, Classification, and Distribution
Examine the evolutionary relationships of birds and the theories behind their scientific classification. Topics will include the origin and geographic distribution of birds, how they diversified, and how relationships between birds are determined, including DNA analysis. Observation in local habitats will link bird distribution with the common bird families in the region. Exploring the relationships in selected bird families will illustrate the role of ornithologists in describing bird relationships.
• O630 (Replaces Systematics and Taxonomy, or Creatures of the Air). 15 hours. Fall.

Natural History of Birds: Conservation
Explore the issues surrounding the preservation of bird life and diversity in northern Illinois. Investigate how bird populations are naturally affected by habitat, competition, and predation and apply those basics of population dynamics to conservation threats. Field work observing neotropical migrants as well as the birds nesting in local grasslands, savannas, and wetlands will focus on regional management and restoration plans. The plans are developed to increase nesting and reproductive success for endangered, threatened, and at-risk species.
• O640 (Replaces O615: Conservation Issues). 15 hours. Spring/Summer.

Field Electives

These short courses focus on birds of specific habitats, specific groups of birds, or new field techniques. Electives are an opportunity to experience important avian natural history sites and events throughout the Midwest, and are designed to expand the experience of the birder beyond the information covered in core courses. Twenty-four class hours of field elective credits are required to complete the certificate. You may repeat one of the four Field Study courses for Field Elective credit; credit will be awarded for half the contact hours of the repeated course.

Current Ornithology Students

Students currently enrolled in the Ornithology program prior to 2008 have two options.  They can choose to complete the requirements they enrolled under, substituting the new classes for the previous classes (see class descriptions above).  Elective credits can be substituted for their second Behavioral Ecology course, as this is not a requirement of the revised certificate. If it is more convenient to complete the revised set of requirements, they are welcome to choose that option instead.

*To enroll in the Ornithology Certificate Program, fill out an enrollment form and mail it to the Registrar's Office. If you have questions about Ornithology classes or Ornithology certificate credit, please contact Megan Dunning, Manager of Natural History Education, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 630-725-2101.

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