Creature features

Great blue herons are tall, graceful birds found near shallow water in Will County. They stand up to 4.5 feet tall with 5.5-foot wingspans but weigh little due to hollow bones. Great blue herons spend up to 90% of their waking time hunting for fish and more with stealth and speed, and nest in large colonies high in trees. During nesting season (March–August), Lake Renwick Heron Rookery is closed to protect them, but you can still view them from Copley Nature Park or during sp

There are about 1,000 different kinds of tardigrades, or moss piglets, in the world, but only one can be found in Illinois - the Milnesium tardigradum. They can survive extreme conditions, even in outer space, and can live just about anywhere. Moss piglets live in moss, lichens, and freshwater and are fierce, microscopic predators with eight clawed legs, a straw-like mouth, and a soft cuticle. They can survive years without water or food, reanimating when moisture returns.

Minks are powerful swimmers, climbers and hunters found near water across Illinois. With waterproof fur and sleek bodies, they hunt fish, frogs, birds and even beavers. Mostly nocturnal, they’re more visible in winter during mating season. Minks live in dens near water, often taking over muskrat burrows. They give birth in spring and raise 4 to 7 kits. Despite being top predators, they’re prey for coyotes, foxes and owls.

The Northern flicker is a migratory woodpecker that has uniquely adapted to gather food on the ground rather than in trees, and are colored differently, even under their wings, from most of our local Will County woodpeckers. They are common in the western hemisphere and can be found deep in forests or open fields with few trees. Northern flickers mainly feed on insects found in trees, but they can also dig for insects in the soil with their curved bills and long, barbed tongu

As temperatures drop, bison grow their own thick, woolly fur coats and thick skin to protect them from the cold. They can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and can run up to 40 miles per hour. Their fur acts as an insulator, trapping their body heat without melting the snow on their back. Since bison are herbivores, they use their head and shoulders to plow through the snow to eat tough, winter grass. They slow down their metabolism to minimize energy and generate internal heat by dig

Once near extinction, Canada geese are everywhere in Will County and are known for their “V” flight, honking, and lawn presence. Goslings quickly learn from their parents and form brood gangs with other goslings. Geese mate for life and share parenting roles. They lose their flight feathers while molting and can become feisty for protection. Canada geese love grass, seeds, and corn. Many stay year-round thanks to safe lawns and unfrozen ponds.

Though they look like ducks, pied-billed grebes are their own group of water birds. Their name indicates a few features where “pied” describes its two colors and “grebe” describes the bird’s feet placement. Rather than webbed feet, pied-billed grebes have lobed feet that act like three-pronged paddles. They are stealthy swimmers and can sink without a trace. They will eat their own feathers to filter out any hard, sharp exoskeleton parts that can potentially damage their inte

Northern short-tailed shrews are not rodents. Though they are the largest shrew in Illinois and the most common shrew in North America, it is rare to see one. They spend most of their time underground digging tunnels and scrounging for food all day all year round. Their powerful snouts, strong claws, and sensitive whiskers make them great diggers and hunters. They are one of only a few venomous mammals with toxic saliva can and release a foul-smelling odor to protect themselv