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While many animals hibernate in winter, bald eagles begin nesting. In northern Illinois, pairs start building or fixing nests in November or December. Eggs are laid in February and hatch after 35 days. Both parents take turns incubating eggs using a special brood patch. Nesting in winter helps eggs stay warm and times fledging with peak food availability in late spring. Other birds like owls also lay eggs in late winter or early spring.

The white-breasted nuthatch is a small bird known for hopping headfirst down trees. Males have black caps and females have gray. Their sharp beaks act like hatchets to crack nuts and hunt insects in bark. They stash seeds for later and may hide them with bark or snow. Common in Illinois year round, they love sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet. Try hanging a feeder near a tree to attract them.

Squirrels are common Illinois mammals, active year-round and known for burying nuts in fall. Tree squirrels like gray, fox and red squirrels are joined by ground squirrels and chipmunks in the squirrel family. Their teeth never stop growing, so they must chew often. Squirrels cache food, sometimes using fake holes to outsmart thieves. They run in zigzags to escape predators and can survive falls from any height by spreading out to glide and slow their descent.

Make milk dance with this fun science experiment. Add drops of food coloring to a bowl of whole milk then touch the surface with a cotton swab dipped in dish soap. Watch the colors swirl and move as the soap breaks the surface tension. Try using cookie cutters for fun shapes.

Snow is perfect for creative fun like building snow people or snow animals. Start by rolling and stacking snowballs, then decorate using nature or household items. Try sculpting animals from real life or imagination, adding details with sticks or leaves. Dress warmly and take breaks to stay safe. Enjoy the magic of winter and let your creativity shine outdoors.

Several blue birds live in northern Illinois, including the blue jay, eastern bluebird and indigo bunting. Blue jays are larger forest birds with crests and bold markings. Eastern bluebirds are smaller grassland birds with red-orange chests. Indigo buntings are bright blue, with females a muted brown. While all are blue, each has unique traits. Blue jays stay year-round, while some bluebirds migrate. Other blue jays and bluebirds live in different U.S. regions.

Wood frogs can freeze solid in winter and survive, then thaw in spring and resume life like nothing happened. Found in forests across the U.S. and Canada, they lay eggs in vernal pools. When cold hits, their bodies produce glucose that protects their cells during freezing. In spring, they thaw and return to the pools to breed. This freeze-thaw ability lets them survive harsh winters, even in Alaska.

Skunk cabbage is one of the first plants to appear in late winter or early spring, sometimes as early as February. It creates its own heat, allowing it to grow through snow and ice. The first part to appear is the dark purple flower bud. Its name comes from the strong odor the plant gives off, which smells like a skunk. This scent isn’t just for show—it helps attract insects that pollinate the flowers so the plant can reproduce.

The eastern milksnake is Illinois’ state snake, common in the northern third of the state. Brown with black-bordered blotches, it grows 24 to 43 inches long. Despite its name, it doesn’t drink milk; farmers once wrongly thought it did because it was found in barns. Milksnakes are carnivores, eating amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, and small mammals. Illinois also has the red milksnake, found in the southern two-thirds of the state.

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are colorful light displays caused by solar wind interacting with Earth’s atmosphere. Colors vary by altitude—blue, green, or red. Best viewed near the poles, they can occasionally be seen farther south during solar storms. Unlike predictable celestial events, they’re harder to forecast but peak during solar cycles, with activity expected to be high in 2024–2025. For the best view, head away from city lights and look north around midni

In winter, darkness comes early, so humans and nocturnal animals like barred owls may be active at the same time. Barred owls don’t build nests—they reuse abandoned ones or tree cavities to raise owlets. With keen eyesight, sharp hearing, and silent flight, they hunt rodents, frogs, fish, and more. Barred owls can instantly crush prey with their grip that can be up to 5 times stronger than a human’s. Their call, “Who cooks for you?” marks their territory.

Frost is a thin ice layer forming on surfaces at or below 32°F, often seen on grass and cars after clear, calm nights. It can form even if air temperatures are above freezing because ground-level air can be colder. The most common frost, radiation frost or hoarfrost, happens when water vapor turns directly into ice. Frost usually melts or evaporates after sunrise as the sun warms the surfaces.

Crows are often misunderstood but are intelligent, social birds with important environmental roles. They disperse seeds, clean up dead carcasses, and even hold "funerals" to assess danger. Crows recognize human faces, hold grudges, and sometimes give gifts. They gather in huge flocks, especially in winter, and can use scraps as tools to get food. Some, like New Caledonian crows, are among the smartest animals, showing complex problem-solving skills.

Even in winter, nature is full of surprises—like lichen! Lichen isn’t a plant but a mix of fungus, algae, and sometimes cyanobacteria living together. It grows on trees, rocks, benches, and more, needing only air and sunlight. Lichen helps create soil and supports other life. Bundle up and go on a lichen hunt! Bring a magnifier, camera, and field guide to explore this tiny, colorful world all around you.

Winter stoneflies are hardy insects that emerge as adults during the cold months, mating and laying eggs on icy waters. Found in clean, unpolluted streams, they’re a sign of healthy water. Though small and drab, they’re well-adapted to winter with antifreeze-like body fluids and clever behaviors. Their presence, or even the empty shells they leave behind, is a reason to celebrate nature’s resilience in winter!

Owls hoot to communicate when trying to defend territory, warn others of danger, or when attracting mates. Most are crepuscular or nocturnal, hooting at night, dawn, or dusk. Their calls fall into one of three categories: hoots, toots, or screeches. Each species sounds unique: great horned owls hoot softly, barred owls ask, “Who cooks for you?”, and barn owls shriek. With practice, you can ID them by sound.

The moon looks different each night because sunlight illuminates it from different angles. Every 29½ days, it appears full when Earth is between the moon and sun. As the moon grows brighter, it is waxing; after the full moon, it wanes as it gets darker. Though some believe the full moon affects behavior, science has not proven this.

Bald eagles are a well-known symbol of the United States, serving as our country's national emblem and national bird. The golden eagle may not be a traditional symbol of America, but other countries have adopted it as one. The golden eagle serves as the national symbol of Albania, Austria, Germany, Kazakhstan and Mexico.

Wood ducks are colorful, tree-loving ducks found in quiet, vegetated waterways. Males are brightly patterned, while females are more subtle. They nest in tree cavities, and their ducklings leap from nests soon after hatching. Wood ducks may have two broods per year and sometimes raise eggs laid by other females. Unlike mallards, they don’t quack—males whistle and females squeak. Males lose their bright colors after breeding, while females stay the same year-round.

Alligator gar are ancient fish with sharp teeth, tough scales, and poisonous eggs. They can grow up to 10 feet long and over 300 pounds, making them Illinois’ largest fish. These night-hunting predators can breathe both in water and air. Once extinct in Illinois, they are being reintroduced through conservation efforts. Sightings help scientists track their success, so report any you see.