Ottawa

Ecosystem Overview

The Ottawa ecosystem supports 52 documented wildlife species across 52 taxonomic genera. Located in LaSalle County, Illinois, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 11 frequently observed species and 10 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. Compared to nearby LaSalle, Ottawa hosts 5100% more species diversity. This location ranks #2 for species diversity among 12 LaSalle County County natural areas, placing it in the 83th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 12 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common11 species

Common16 species

Occasional15 species

Rare10 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 12 locations

83th percentile for diversity

vs. LaSalle

+5100% 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 52 total documented species.

Branta canadensis

Canada goose

Very Common6 obs.

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Bald Eagle

Very Common4 obs.

Ardea herodias

Great Blue Heron

Very Common3 obs.

Maclura pomifera

Osage-orange

Very Common3 obs.

Turdus migratorius

American Robin

Very Common2 obs.

Castor canadensis

Canadian beaver

Common2 obs.

Didelphis virginiana

Virginia-Opossum

Common2 obs.

Bubo virginianus

Great Horned Owl

Common2 obs.

Toxicodendron radicans

poison ivy

Common2 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Common2 obs.

Zenaida macroura

Mourning Dove

Common2 obs.

Sturnus vulgaris

starling

Occasional2 obs.

Megaceryle alcyon

Belted Kingfisher

Occasional2 obs.

Toxomerus politus

Maize Calligrapher

Occasional1 obs.

Thamnophis sirtalis

Common Garter Snake

Occasional1 obs.

Sylvilagus floridanus

Lapin A Queue Blanche

Occasional1 obs.

Ctenopharyngodon idella

Grass carp

Occasional1 obs.

Dreissena polymorpha

zebra mussel

Rare1 obs.

Pachypsylla celtidismamma

Rare1 obs.

Cicindela sexguttata

Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle

Rare1 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 Ottawa. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

Species Count

+189%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in LaSalle County County, Illinois

Nearby Natural Areas

Lasalle

Importance: 0.49

1 species

+5100% vs. current

Lasalle County

Importance: 0.49

100 species

-48% vs. current

Peru

Importance: 0.49

1 species

+5100% vs. current

Lake Mendota

Importance: 0.35

4 species

+1200% vs. current

Matthiessen Lake

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+5100% vs. current

Mendota

Importance: 0.34

17 species

+206% vs. current

Oglesby

Importance: 0.33

6 species

+767% vs. current

North Utica

Importance: 0.32

12 species

+333% 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 LaSalle 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

Species Count

+189%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in LaSalle County County, Illinois

Nearby Natural Areas

Lasalle

Importance: 0.49

1 species

+5100% vs. current

Lasalle County

Importance: 0.49

100 species

-48% vs. current

Peru

Importance: 0.49

1 species

+5100% vs. current

Lake Mendota

Importance: 0.35

4 species

+1200% vs. current

Matthiessen Lake

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+5100% vs. current

Mendota

Importance: 0.34

17 species

+206% vs. current

Oglesby

Importance: 0.33

6 species

+767% vs. current

North Utica

Importance: 0.32

12 species

+333% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 12 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common11 species

Common16 species

Occasional15 species

Rare10 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 12 locations

83th percentile for diversity

vs. LaSalle

+5100% species diversity

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 52 total documented species.

Branta canadensis

Canada goose

Very Common6 obs.

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Bald Eagle

Very Common4 obs.

Ardea herodias

Great Blue Heron

Very Common3 obs.

Maclura pomifera

Osage-orange

Very Common3 obs.

Turdus migratorius

American Robin

Very Common2 obs.

Castor canadensis

Canadian beaver

Common2 obs.

Didelphis virginiana

Virginia-Opossum

Common2 obs.

Bubo virginianus

Great Horned Owl

Common2 obs.

Toxicodendron radicans

poison ivy

Common2 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Common2 obs.

Zenaida macroura

Mourning Dove

Common2 obs.

Sturnus vulgaris

starling

Occasional2 obs.

Megaceryle alcyon

Belted Kingfisher

Occasional2 obs.

Toxomerus politus

Maize Calligrapher

Occasional1 obs.

Thamnophis sirtalis

Common Garter Snake

Occasional1 obs.

Sylvilagus floridanus

Lapin A Queue Blanche

Occasional1 obs.

Ctenopharyngodon idella

Grass carp

Occasional1 obs.

Dreissena polymorpha

zebra mussel

Rare1 obs.

Pachypsylla celtidismamma

Rare1 obs.

Cicindela sexguttata

Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle

Rare1 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 52 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.