Chicago Audubon Society

Migration season will soon be here again, and our our nationally-known program, Lights Out! will soon resume. With the cooperation and support of the Mayor's Nature and Wildlife Committee and the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago (BOMA), lights in many of downtown Chicago's tall buildings are turned out during the overnight hours in order to avoid attracting migratory birds, which can otherwise become disoriented and crash into the buildings. More information.

People have different approaches to bird watching and bird identification. Here are a few tips to help the new birder remember details before reaching for the guidebook. This information is meant to be a general guide.