Cook County

Ecosystem Overview

The Cook County ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 91 taxonomic genera. Located in Cook County, Illinois, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 21 frequently observed species and 19 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. This location ranks #3 for species diversity among 97 Cook County County natural areas, placing it in the 97th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 97 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#3 of 97 locations

97th percentile for diversity

vs. Evanston

0% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

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Biodiversity Highlights

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Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Branta canadensis

Canada goose

Very Common206 obs.

Passer domesticus

House Sparrow

Very Common201 obs.

Turdus migratorius

American Robin

Very Common197 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Very Common193 obs.

Sciurus carolinensis

Grey squirrel

Very Common175 obs.

Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal

Common159 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Common150 obs.

Larus delawarensis

Ring-billed Gull

Common130 obs.

Danaus plexippus

monarch

Common126 obs.

Odocoileus virginianus

Key Deer

Common114 obs.

Bombus griseocollis

Brown-belted Bumblebee

Common107 obs.

Dryobates pubescens

Downy Woodpecker

Occasional106 obs.

Asclepias syriaca

Virginia-Silk

Occasional104 obs.

Trifolium repens

Dutch clover

Occasional103 obs.

Mergus serrator

Red-breasted Merganser

Occasional101 obs.

Bombus impatiens

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Occasional97 obs.

Ardea herodias

Great Blue Heron

Occasional92 obs.

Apis mellifera

Western Honey Bee

Rare91 obs.

Rhamnus cathartica

purging buckthorn

Rare87 obs.

Sylvilagus floridanus

Lapin A Queue Blanche

Rare86 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Get Your Personalized Field Guide

Download a professional PDF field guide featuring all the species found in Cook County. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

$6.99

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Download a professional PDF field guide featuring all the species found in Cook County. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+104%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Cook County County, Illinois

Nearby Natural Areas

Evanston

Importance: 0.54

100 species

0% vs. current

Oak Park

Importance: 0.51

35 species

+186% vs. current

Skokie

Importance: 0.51

92 species

+9% vs. current

Cicero

Importance: 0.50

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Des Plaines

Importance: 0.50

57 species

+75% vs. current

Park Ridge

Importance: 0.50

7 species

+1329% vs. current

Glenview

Importance: 0.49

100 species

0% vs. current

Streamwood

Importance: 0.49

1 species

+9900% vs. current

About This Comparison

These comparisons are based on documented wildlife observations from citizen science data. Locations with higher species counts may have more observation activity, different habitat types, or larger coverage areas. Regional rankings help identify biodiversity hotspots and unique natural areas within Cook County County.

Regional Comparison

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Regional Ranking

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Species Count

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vs. Regional Average

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Nearby Natural Areas

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About This Comparison

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+104%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Cook County County, Illinois

Nearby Natural Areas

Evanston

Importance: 0.54

100 species

0% vs. current

Oak Park

Importance: 0.51

35 species

+186% vs. current

Skokie

Importance: 0.51

92 species

+9% vs. current

Cicero

Importance: 0.50

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Des Plaines

Importance: 0.50

57 species

+75% vs. current

Park Ridge

Importance: 0.50

7 species

+1329% vs. current

Glenview

Importance: 0.49

100 species

0% vs. current

Streamwood

Importance: 0.49

1 species

+9900% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 97 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#3 of 97 locations

97th percentile for diversity

vs. Evanston

0% species diversity

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Branta canadensis

Canada goose

Very Common206 obs.

Passer domesticus

House Sparrow

Very Common201 obs.

Turdus migratorius

American Robin

Very Common197 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Very Common193 obs.

Sciurus carolinensis

Grey squirrel

Very Common175 obs.

Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal

Common159 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Common150 obs.

Larus delawarensis

Ring-billed Gull

Common130 obs.

Danaus plexippus

monarch

Common126 obs.

Odocoileus virginianus

Key Deer

Common114 obs.

Bombus griseocollis

Brown-belted Bumblebee

Common107 obs.

Dryobates pubescens

Downy Woodpecker

Occasional106 obs.

Asclepias syriaca

Virginia-Silk

Occasional104 obs.

Trifolium repens

Dutch clover

Occasional103 obs.

Mergus serrator

Red-breasted Merganser

Occasional101 obs.

Bombus impatiens

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Occasional97 obs.

Ardea herodias

Great Blue Heron

Occasional92 obs.

Apis mellifera

Western Honey Bee

Rare91 obs.

Rhamnus cathartica

purging buckthorn

Rare87 obs.

Sylvilagus floridanus

Lapin A Queue Blanche

Rare86 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 100 species with 3-4 high-quality images each, detailed descriptions, and a downloadable PDF for offline use.

Premium field guide includes identification tips, seasonal patterns, and professional layout optimized for field use.