IOS

Funding for the 2024 IOS Grants Program

To the Illinois birding community, please consider supporting the IOS Grants program.

Since 2004, the IOS Grants Program has awarded multiple grants to applicants conducting projects relating to birds and/or birding in Illinois. Funding has been provided from a variety of sources including individual donations from IOS members and friends, donations from birding and bird conservation organizations and local birding groups around the state, the Gull Frolic, Big Day pledges, and more. We couldn’t offer this program without the generosity and support from the Illinois birding community!

Each year we receive many applications, 2024 (our 21st year) is no different, with four proposals submitted and the deadline still ahead. The submissions will be reviewed in detail by our Grants team, and we are striving to fund as many of the proposals as possible. We are hoping to notify applicants if they will receive funding by May 19th.

Many come from graduate students at various universities around Illinois, to support their research on birds. Some requests are projects in their 2nd or 3rd year of field research.

The IOS Grants are important on multiple levels:

  • They provide critical funding for bird research in Illinois, particularly when other funding sources are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
  • They promote scientific research and education in order to improve knowledge and awareness of birds in Illinois.

Supporting the IOS Grants program is one way that the birding community can show how we value the commitment and dedication of the applicants doing bird-related research. By donating to the IOS Grants program, individuals like you are supporting the work that builds our future, helping maintain and expand high quality habitat, identifying and mediating conservation issues, and ensuring that birds will continue to thrive in Illinois.

Please donate what you can, contact your friends, neighbors, family, local clubs and organizations, and ask them to help. IOS will help combine contributions to fund requests. Any amount is appreciated! If you or your organization would like to fully fund a request, we will help you contact the recipient and make the award yourself, if desired.

To make a contribution

  • Preferred method for contributions is to donate online on the IOS website. Click the Donate tab and designate “Grants Program donation” in the menu. Click here to donate online.
  • If donating by check, checks can be made out to the Illinois Ornithological Society and mailed. Please email grants@illinoisbirds.org to let us know to expect a check in the mail. 

Mail checks to:
Illinois Ornithological Society
c/o Grants Program
PO Box 931
Lake Forest, IL 60045

Thank you for your support!
IOS Grants Team

Dustin Weidner
Grants Program Director
Weidner: 214-697-9266
grants@illinoisbirds.org

IOS Speaker Series: The Finch Research Network presents “Hawaiian Honeycreepers and the Conservation Crisis – Past, Present, and Future”

Wednesday, January 24th at 7:00pm

Click here to register.

Hawaiian Honeycreepers and the Conservation Crisis – Past, Present and Future

A group of rose finches from central Asia migrated over the Pacific Ocean, thus irrupting, as finches tend to do, 6,000 miles, landing on Hawaii more than 5 million years ago. This may have happened a few times. These finches found unique foods and habitats, and they adaptively radiated to dozens of species. This is similar to the story of Darwin’s finches, and these rose finches adaptively radiated into more 50 new species that exploited these food resources. 

After settlers arrived, rats, cats, pigs, mongooses, invasive plants, diseases, and the most current threat, mosquitos carrying avian malaria, were introduced. From a high of 53-56 species, now only 16 remain. New efforts are being done to help the last remaining species. 

The Finch Research Network and The Honeycreepers Project

Matt Young, FiRN Founder and Executive Director
Matt has been observing and enjoying nature since a very young age. He’s lived in Central New York for 26+ years and it was during this time when he really started studying everything from birds to orchids, and bogs and fens. Matt received his B.S. in Water Resources with a minor in Meteorology from SUNY-Oneonta and his M.S. in Ornithology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry/Syracuse University in 2003. Matt did his masters research on avian diversity in restored wetlands of central New York at the Great Swamp Conservancy. He was a Regional Editor of the Kingbird for 10 years, the state ornithological journal in New York, was an Adjunct Professor in Environmental Studies at SUNY-Cortland, and currently teaches an Intro to Birding class for Cornell University and was the Board Chair at The Wetland Trust.

Over the last 26 years he’s worked as a social worker (and is currently) with special needs young adults and adolescents for close to 12 years, and worked at the Cornell Lab across 15+ years where he did extensive field work for the Lab’s Cerulean and Golden-winged Warblers atlas projects, and was project lead on the Lab’s first Finch Irruptive Bird Survey for Bird Source in 1999. He was the Collections Management Leader/Audio Engineer at the Macaulay Library ~12 years where he edited sounds for several Merlin packs around the world in addition to being the lead audio engineer on guides, the Songs of the Warblers of North America, Audubon Society Voices of Hawaii’s Birds, and the Cornell Lab’s Guides to Bird Sounds, the North America Master and Essential Sets. He’s been a tour guide leader for Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, written finch species accounts for breeding bird atlases and Birds of the World, and has published several papers about the Red Crossbill vocal complex including describing a new call type Type 12. He’s currently working on Finches of United States and Canada with Lillian Stokes and is also the President and Founder of the Finch Research Network (FiRN).

Nathan Goldberg, FiRN Hawaiian Honeycreeper Project Lead
Nathan Goldberg is a graduate of Cornell University, and a tour leader and guide for the Red Hill Birding team. He is an avid birder for over a decade and from the Chicagoland region. In 2020, he set the Illinois Big Year record, seeing 341 species over the course of the year. After leading a trip in Hawaii in 2021 he reached out to Matt to get involved in helping raise awareness around the conservation crisis in Hawaii.

To learn more about the Honeycreepers Project, click here.

Click here to register.

2023 Grants Summary

This year we were able to fund 3 grant proposals! This brings the total to 133 grants and over $120,500 awarded since the program’s inception, through this year.

One of IOS’s objectives is “To promote scientific research and education in order to improve knowledge and awareness of birds in Illinois”. The IOS Grants Program was initiated several years ago to support this objective with funding.

The 2022 IOS Grants Program received ten requests for funding, representing a notably diverse set of study goals. The IOS review team evaluated each proposal, and determined that all were suitable for funding within the scope of that key objective described above. In addition to money provided directly by IOS, donations by four organizations and many individuals made it possible for all of the 2023 grant requests to be fully funded.

Sponsor Organizations:
DuPage Birding Club
Illinois Audubon Society
Lake-Cook Audubon Society
Illinois Ornithological Society

Thanks to you all! Without the generosity of these organizations and IOS members and friends in the bird conservation community, IOS would not be able to support these projects. The support exemplified by this funding sends an important message to these students and researchers: We believe in your work, and we care about the future of our state’s bird life!

Thanks to John Leonard and Scott Meister for reviewing and evaluating all the requests.

Congratulations to the grant recipients! Watch for their project articles in future issues of Meadowlark and watch for short summaries on the IOS website. Here’s a synopsis of the 2023 grants. Where noted, individuals and organizations targeted those grants for their donations.

Recipient Affiliation Project  
Abhay Agarwal Sanctuary for the Skies Sanctuary For The Skies  
Avery Dart Illinois State University Effects of extra-pair paternity on provisioning effort and nest defense in male house wrens (Troglodytes aedon)  
Adrianna Yoder DePaul University Habitat Characteristics & Seasonality of Red-headed Woodpecker Cavity Use  

2023 IOS Big Sit Awards Ceremony

Results and Prizes

Grand Total Raised = $4,650

Clever Team Name Winners

  1. Big Lagoonies @ Humboldt Park, Chicago, Cook County
  2. Limpkin Bigsitz @ Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, Mason County
  3. Back Porch Perched Prairie Peepers @ South Homer Township, Champaign County

Top Fundraisers

  1. Big Marsh Fwrens – $1,038.73
  2. The Jaeger Masters – $1,030.15
  3. The Birding Bonanza @ Rollins Savanna – $495.80

Funds raised go directly towards supporting IOS initiatives including the Illinois Young Birders program, supporting bird research and conservation in Illinois through the IOS Grant Program. Thank you to all our teams for your fundraising efforts! Many teams raised hundreds of dollars and we had a lot of different people supporting the event. Kudos to you all! 

Yard Big Sit Species Total Winners

  1. Big Sit at the Magic Fountain! – 45 species
    • Team Member: Aerin Tedesco
  2. Back Porch Perched Prairie Peepers – 37 species
    • Team Member: Britt Carlson
  3. Zakyard Birding – 28 species
    • Team Member: Zachary Sutton

Overall Big Sit Species Total Winners

  1. Limpkin Bigsitz – 95 species
    • Team Members: Evan Smith, Sarah Winnicki-Smith, Emma Winnicki-Smith, aerin tedesco
  2. The Jaeger Masters – 73 species
    • Team Members: Henry Meade, Peter Tolzmann, Owen Woodhouse
  3. Big Marsh Fwrens – 69 species
    • Team Members: Matt and Vickie Igleski, Carl Giometti, Stephanie Beilke, Jake Vinsel, Ian Sarmiento, Paul Senner, Kelly Ballantyne, Brianna and Jim Joyce

 Across the state, big sitters saw a combined 163 species of birds!

Thank you to everyone who supported, participated,

and donated to this fantastic 2023 Big Sit!

IOS 2023 Big Sit Competition and Fundraiser

Friday, Sep. 22 – Sunday, Sep. 24, 2023

Art by Laurie Kaufmann

About the IOS 2023 Big Sit

Stay put. Count birds. Raise money! IOS invites you to join other birders throughout Illinois on the weekend of September 22-24 for the annual IOS 2023 Big Sit Competition and Fundraiser. Sign up below and pick a day on the weekend to sit in one spot and count as many species of birds as possible, whether in your yard or your favorite park or preserve. You can count as an individual or family or teams of up to five (additional participants can come and go from your count circle as long as no more than five people are in the circle at one time and social distancing and state guidelines are followed). Teams are also invited to help solicit donations for their team and use the event as a fun way to help us raise funds for IOS. The 2023 IOS Big Sit funds will go towards supporting IOS and IOS initiatives like the Illinois Young Birders and the IOS Grants program.

What is a Big Sit?

A Big Sit, similar to a Big Day, is a competition where a team of birders counts as many species as possible within a 24 hour period.  While the Big Day involves moving around from spot to spot to maximize species sightings, a Big Sit is precisely as it sounds. You stay in one location, a 20ft diameter circle called a “count circle”, and only species seen or heard from that circle count for the final tally.  Count wherever you want and as long as you want during your chosen count day. The Big Sit is all about slowing down and enjoying good company, great birds, and, in this case, supporting a good cause! Full rules can be read here.

Steps to Participate

1. Click the “Start a Team” button below and then click on “Start a Fundraiser” to create your fundraising team and find up to 5 people to join your Big Sit.

To start a fundraiser, you will need to create a Donately account if you do not already have one. It is very straightforward. Don’t forget a creative name! Don’t forget to set a fundraising goal for yourself!

Start a Team

2. Add a description which includes 1) Your teammates  2) Where you will be conducting your Big Sit 3) the date of your Big Sit.

3. Have each team member “join” by donating $10 (or more!) to your team.

4. Share, share, share! Reach out to friends and family to donate to your Big Sit by sharing your donation page. 

Donors can do a 1-time donation, or they can pledge to donate an amount “per species” and complete their donation after you announce your final species total to them.  NOTE: Your team is responsible for keeping track of “per species” donors and reminding them to donate afterwards!  Encourage donors that they can donate both ways!

5. Have Fun!

On your competition day, sit back, relax, and have fun counting birds. Share your highlights as the day progresses in the new IOS Facebook Group. (A submission form will be posted closer to the event date to submit your final species total and any highlights you want to share from your day).

6. Join Us for the Results and After Party

Anyone interested is invited to join us for a virtual after party online as we share highlights with one another and announce winners. Prizes will be awarded for the team that counts the most birds and for the team that raises the most in donations (details to be announced).

How to Donate

If you are supporting a specific team, you can donate via the link to their team page or search for the team below.

Donate to a Team

If you are not supporting a specific team, feel free to pick one to support or you can submit a general donation to IOS.

We invite donors to follow along during the event in the IOS Facebook Group and Join Us for the Results and After Party. Thank you in advance for your support of IOS!

Ways to Promote the Big Sit with Friends and Bird Clubs

Invite others to learn more at https://www.illinoisbirds.org/bigsit/

Questions

Aerin Tedesco
IOS Big Sit Event Coordinator

Palm Warbler. Photo by Adam Sell.

Birds and Baristas in Lake County

IOS Summer Field Trip Series: Birds and Baristas!

Every Thursday in June and July in locations around Lake County, IL

Join expert Lake County field trip leader Beau Schaefer for weekly bird walks in fantastic locations, followed by a stop for a fresh cup of coffee at local coffee houses around the county this summer.

Beau will meet people at the birding locations and times indicated on the schedule. 
Bird Walk and Coffee Shop Schedule

No registration necessary. Just show up at the time and location indicated for the Birding Location and join Beau and the group. 

If you have questions, please email  beauschaefer@yahoo.com.

Please provide your own water, sunscreen, and insect repellant.

We look forward to seeing you in the field!

Migration Madness in Illinois

Join a Spring Bird Walk this May all around the state 


IOS is excited to partner with field trip leaders all around Illinois to offer field trips at birding hotspots during the peak of spring migration. Most are day trips in locations with great birding opportunities for everyone from those who know the area well to those hoping to explore a new place. One field trip is an overnight experience in the southernmost part of Illinois!

These trips are a chance to meet new birding friends, plan an adventure somewhere in Illinois that’s new to you, or re-visit a favorite place for birding. 

Registration is limited for each event, so register early to reserve your spot!

Click each link to get more info about each bird walk

May 19-21 – Southern Illinois Birding Hotspots

Spring Migration Weekend in Southernmost Illinois

(around Shawnee National Forest near Carbondale, IL. All meeting locations will be shared with registered participants.)

Leaders Ronda Rothrock and Vicki Lang will guide participants around many prime birding hotspots of Southern Illinois in search of neotropical migrants and specialties of the far southern counties of the state. Don’t miss this unique birding experience!

  • Friday, May 19 @ evening – Ferne Clyffe State Park for nightjars 
  • Saturday, May 20 @ 6am – Western counties of the Shawnee National Forest 
  • Sunday, May 21 @ 7:30am – Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge 

Register for the Southern IL Birding Weekend here.

Plan your adventure and sign up for a field trip now!

Upcoming Field Trips, Speaker Series, and Travel Opportunities

Field Trips and Speaker Series

Click on each event to learn more and to register

Virtual Speaker
Piping Plovers on the Wintering Grounds with Melissa Chaplin & Kristen Vale
Thursday, March 30th at 7 pm via Zoom

******JUST ADDED
Woodcocks and Roosting Birds at Dusk @ Rollins Savanna in Grayslake, IL
Monday, April 3rd at 6:45 pm
Field Trip Leader: Beau Schaefer

******JUST ADDED
The Hunt for Smith’s Longspurs in Central Illinois
Sunday, April 9th at 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
Field Trip Leader: Matt Fraker

Travel Opportunities

IOS Kirtland’s Warbler Weekend with Sanctuary Birding
May 26-29 in Iosco County, Michigan
Guide: Sam Burckhardt

IOS Mexico: Veracruz River of Raptors with Red Hill Birding
September 25 – October 4, 2023
Guides: Adam Sell + Local Guides, Jorge Montejo, and Amy McAndrews

2022 Grants Summary

This year we were able to fund 9 grant proposals! This brings the total to 130 grants and over $117,000 awarded since the program’s inception, through this year.

One of IOS’s objectives is “To promote scientific research and education in order to improve knowledge and awareness of birds in Illinois”. The IOS Grants Program was initiated several years ago to support this objective with funding.

The 2022 IOS Grants Program received ten requests for funding, representing a notably diverse set of study goals. The IOS review team evaluated each proposal, and determined that all were suitable for funding within the scope of that key objective described above. In addition to money provided directly by IOS, donations by four organizations and many individuals made it possible for all of the 2022 grant requests to be fully funded.

Sponsor Organizations:
DuPage Birding Club
Illinois Audubon Society
Lake-Cook Audubon Society
Illinois Ornithological Society

Thanks to you all! Without the generosity of these organizations and IOS members and friends in the bird conservation community, IOS would not be able to support these projects. The support exemplified by this funding sends an important message to these students and researchers: We believe in your work, and we care about the future of our state’s bird life!

Thanks to John Leonard and Scott Meister for reviewing and evaluating all the requests.

Congratulations to the grant recipients! Watch for their project articles in future issues of Meadowlark and watch for short summaries on the IOS website. Here’s a synopsis of the 2022 grants. Where noted, individuals and organizations targeted those grants for their donations.

Recipient Affiliation Project  
Sarah Stewart University of Illinois Hesitant Heterotherms: Predictors of Torpor Use in a Midwestern Whip-poor-will Population  
Cheyenne Beach Northern Illinois University Trematodiasis Monitoring in Hunter-Harvested Waterfowl of the Mississippi River System  
Mac Chmaberlain University of Illinois Effects of cowbird chatter call on juvenile roosting behaviors  
Sarah Winnicki-Smith University of Illinois Maternal effects, gut microbiomes, and growth of American Robins (Turdus migratorius)  
Gerald W. Heinrich Midewin Tallgrass Prairie Alliance Bald Eagle Viewing Scope  
Christopher Gutmann Glen Ellyn Park District Use of Passive Bird Monitoring to Create Adolescent Birders  
Matthew Scerbicke Western Illinois University Fear of Feathers: Do nest decorations deter nest usurpation and brood parasitism?  
Dairo Gbenga Sunday Western Illinois University An experimental test of food supplementation on competitive and host-parasite interactions in a secondary cavity-nesting songbird  
Louise Bodt University of Chicago & Field Museum of Natural History The Introduced European Goldfinch in Illinois  
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