Dates & Pricing

2025 September 18-22, 2025 Price: TBD per person sharing Single room supplement: TBD Guides: Josh Engel and others (birds) & Amanda Engel (architecture) Maximum of 7 participants

Custom tour anytime

Chicago Birds and Architecture - September 2018 (Click HERE for photo gallery)
Illinois & Midwest Birding Weekends

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Chicago: Fall mIgration and Architecture

This trip is designed to coincide with the peak of fall migration in the Midwest. Based in Chicago, we will visit the city's best migrant traps and venture into the suburbs for more excellent birding. We should get great views of many warblers and other migrants. We will also take some time to see Chicago's famed architecture, including taking the renowned architectural river cruise.

View our 2025 itinerary

Itineraries will be updated with plenty of time before the next departure. Our itineraries usually show minimal changes between years, but some substantive updates can occur as birding access and information evolves. For any specific questions regarding these trips, please contact us.

This trip can be customized for private groups in any way. For example, it can be a single day trip, a short weekend, or can be combined with birding farther afield, like looking for Kirtland's Warbler in Michigan or birding along the Mississippi River. Check out our Chicago area guiding page for more.

SCROLL THROUGH OUR CHICAGO PHOTO GALLERY BELOW

Sedge Wren

Mid-September is a good time for grassland migrants in the Chicago area, like Sedge Wren. Photo by Josh Engel.

Mourning Warbler

Chicago in mid-September is a good place to see Mourning Warbler. Photo by Josh Engel.

Blackpoll Warbler

Mid-September is the peak of fall warbler migration. We will undoubtedly see Blackpoll Warbler, one of the classic "confusing fall warblers," giving us a good chance to learn about their identification. Photo by Josh Engel.

Skyline from Northerly Island

Northerly Island is both a great birding spot and a great place to see Chicago's famous skyline. Photo by Josh Engel.

Birds, meet architecture

We won't miss opportunities to see the intersection of birds and architecture as the opportunity presents itself. This mural, featuring Red-headed Woodpecker and Yellow-headed Blackbird, is by Collin van der Sluijs. Photo by Josh Engel.

Palm Warbler

A common migrant in Chicago. Photo by Josh Engel.

Merlin

If conditions are right, we will do some hawkwatching, which could yield some sleek Merlins. Photo by Josh Engel.

Nelson's Sparrow

Sneaky Nelson's Sparrows are always hard to find, but we have a chance to find them along the Chicago lakefront. Photo by Josh Engel.

Semipalmated Sandpiper

If conditions are good, we'll spend some time looking for shorebirds. The beaches can be a good place to find them. Photo by Josh Engel.

Le Conte's Sparrow

One of Chicago's rarer migrants, we might get lucky and see this skulking sparrow in one of the lakefront migrant traps. Photo by Josh Engel.

Red Bat

Birds aren't the only animals migrating at this time of year, bats are, too. We may get lucky and find a roosting bat. Photo by Josh Engel.

Cape May Warbler

Cape May Warblers are more common in fall than spring in Chicago. Photo by Josh Engel.

Stilt Sandpiper

When conditions are right, Chicago's beaches, especially Montrose Beach, can be good for shorebirds. Photo by Josh Engel.

Baird's Sandpiper

We'll need some luck to see Baird's Sandpipers, which are mostly through Chicago by mid-September. Photo by Josh Engel.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Photo by Josh Engel.

Bobolink

Bobolinks can sometimes be found in grassy habitat along the Lake Michigan shoreline in September. Photo by Josh Engel.

Cooper's Hawk

Photo by Josh Engel.

Magnolia Warbler

One of the more common migrants in September in Chicago. Photo by Josh Engel.

Chicago modern architecture

Chicago has a stunning mix of historical and modern architecture, often in close proximity. Photo by Amanda Zeigler.

Marina City

A classic of mid-century architecture, Marina City sits right along the Chicago River. Photo by Josh Engel.

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Chicago: Fall mIgration and Architecture