Robins are familiar birds with orange breasts, found across the U.S. year-round. Though known for eating worms, they also eat insects and fruit. Males and females look similar, with females slightly paler. They breed early, often having multiple broods. Their cheerful song is a sign of spring, though many robins stay quiet in winter. Named after European robins, they’re common in yards and parks and are part of the thrush family.

Animals don’t care what we call them, but naming helps us understand, appreciate, and protect them. We use different names for different types of animals in the same species - like a doe (female deer) or a kit (young skunk). Learning names makes animals more interesting and can inspire us to care for their habitats. Surprised by any group names? Curious about others? That curiosity is a great reason to learn more!

Robins find worms using sight, not sound, smell or touch. They tilt their heads to look into holes they or others have made, spotting visible worms below the surface. Studies show robins ignore sounds or smells and only react when they can see a worm. Other birds eat worms too, like killdeers and woodcocks. Woodcocks do a unique dance once thought to help find worms, but it may actually be a warning signal to predators.

Many animals are nocturnal, meaning they’re active at night and rest during the day. This behavior helps them avoid predators, reduce competition, hunt more effectively, or stay cool in hot climates. Some species are also becoming more nocturnal to avoid humans. These animals often have special adaptations like sharp hearing, enhanced night vision, or echolocation. However, threats like light pollution and climate change may disrupt their nocturnal habits and ecosystems.

Once endangered in Illinois, river otters now live statewide thanks to conservation efforts. These playful animals are built for swimming but spend much time on land. They dive, slide, and teach pups survival through play. Often confused with sea otters, river otters are smaller and more land-based. They eat fish, frogs, and crayfish to fuel their high metabolism and use their whiskers to detect prey underwater.

Eastern milk snakes, Illinois' official state snake since 2022, are harmless, non-venomous constrictors found in fields, woodlands, or river bottoms. They’re active from April through November, mostly at night, and feed on prey no bigger than them. Farmers once blamed these snakes for their low milk production, accusing them of drinking their cow’s milk, hence their name. They’re shy and pose no threat to humans unless provoked. Look for their blotchy gray and brown “checkere

The American bison, often called a buffalo, is North America’s largest mammal. Males can weigh 2,000 pounds and stand 6 feet tall. The name “buffalo” likely came from the French word “boeuf” for beef. Native tribes had their own names, like tatanka and iinniiwa. Bison once roamed Illinois but now can be seen in places like Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

American minks are nocturnal, solitary and semiaquatic carnivores found near waterways across all of Illinois. Often mistaken for beavers or muskrats, they resemble weasels with dark brown fur and a white chin patch. Minks will purr, hiss, and use chemical signals to communicate. They can secrete foul-smelling liquid when scared or excited. They are fast, fierce, and able to swim and climb. Though few predators hunt them, humans remain their biggest threat.