Great horned owls are the most familiar owls to many people, known for their iconic look and hooting call. Despite their name, they don’t have horns. The “horns” are feather tufts called plumicorns, not ears. Other owls like long-eared, short-eared and eastern screech owls also have them, but great horned owls have the most prominent ones, which is how they got their name.

Eastern cottontail rabbits, named for their fluffy white tails, are common in Illinois. Females can have multiple litters a year, and it’s normal to find nests of baby rabbits. Don’t worry — the mother hasn’t abandoned them. To avoid attracting predators, she visits the nest only twice a day. The babies leave the nest at about three weeks old.

Bald eagles, our national bird, are known for their white heads, brown bodies, and yellow beaks—but they aren’t born that way. It takes about five years for young eagles to develop the iconic white head and tail. Juveniles are mostly brown with mottled wings. Despite their name, bald eagles aren’t truly bald—their white heads are fully feathered. The name comes from the Old English word “balde,” meaning white.