WELCOME TO THE

DuPage Birding Club

ABOUT US

A Brief Overview of the DBC

Founded in 1985, the DuPage Birding Club is nationally known as one of the largest and most active birding groups in Illinois. Our mission is to promote birding among our 400+ members
and the general public through field experiences and education that focus on the various habitats in DuPage County, the greater Chicago area, and other regional hotspots.  We welcome birders of all skill levels and interest.

ABOVE: Phothonotary Warbler. Photo by Diann Bilderback.

THE DUPAGE BIRDING CLUB IS

Promoting birding in DuPage County and the greater Chicagoland area.

Join us in making birding an experience!

Learn from guest speakers and members at our meetings.

Join us on one of our 100 plus field trips each year.

Explore DuPage County birding hotspots and resources.

DBC on YouTube

Identify your warblers, cuckoos, thrushes, owls, blackbirds, ducks, and more.
Learn about bird identification basics, binoculars, migration, and more.
Hone listening skills for thrushes, flycatchers, grassland birds, and more.

Upcoming Meeting

October 8, 7:00pm - In Person and via Zoom

Topic: From Calumet to Lincoln Park and Beyond: The Black-crowned Night Herons of Chicago

Presenter: Amy Lardner, Founder, The Chicago Black-crowned Night Heron Project

Location: College of DuPage and Zoom

In 1992, more than 1,600 Black-crowned Night Herons were counted in Chicago’s Calumet region, alongside other breeding sites across Illinois. Today, the species is Illinois-endangered, with declining populations and breeding colonies across the Great Lakes and Northeast. Lincoln Park Zoo is now home to Illinois’ largest remaining breeding colony.

Amy Lardner, founder of the Chicago Black-crowned Night Heron Project, will explore the history and future of Chicago’s herons, including research on tracking, migration and conspecific attraction, creative collaborations producing life-size 3D decoys, and the project’s 20-volunteer Heron Ambassador program at the rookery and elsewhere. She’ll share how outreach and education can build awareness and support for research and long-term conservation.

In 2027, the Zoo colony enters its 20th nesting season, while Illinois marks 50 years of listing the species as endangered.

To register via Zoom, use this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/WtatvI6kSZSiXJDgk3o7yg

Upcoming Field Trips

Registration May Be Required

Check back here soon for more DBC news.

Recent News

2026 Volunteer Birding and Luncheon, Celebrating DBC Volunteers and Field Trip Leaders on October 17th, 2026

The DuPage Birding Club wouldn’t be the same without the time and talents of its many volunteers and field trip leaders. To celebrate your incredible dedication, the DBC Board is hosting a special Volunteer Luncheon on Saturday, October 17th at St. James Farm. This event is our way of saying thank you to everyone who has volunteered in any capacity over the last year. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to socialize and catch up with your fellow club members. Here is the schedule for the day: • 9:00 AM – Birding Walk: Meet at the St. James parking lot off […]

First Quarterly Wingspan Game Day – October 10th

Our first Quarterly Wingspan Game Day will be October 10th at the Helen Plum Library in Lombard, IL. See Field Trips section for more details and registration information. Wingspan is a beautifully crafted game, where each player has several wildlife habitats in which to attract a variety of birds with unique characteristics and abilities. Players collect food, lay eggs, and draw birds from cards with stunning illustrations and interesting facts. It blends education with strategy, in an enjoyable atmosphere. You do not need to know how to play. We will teach you. If you know how to play, you can […]

DBC to Sponsor Danada Fall Festival: Volunteers Wanted!

DBC will host a table at the Danada Fall Festival, which will be held October 11, 11 am-5pm, at the Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton. If you have a couple of free hours to join us at our table and talk with people, we’d love your help. This annual festival attracts up to 10,000 visitors so it promises to be a busy day! The festival includes equestrian shows with riders in costume, horse drawn hayrides, an art show of approximately 200 art and photo exhibits, activities for the children, and food and entertainment. If you’d like to volunteer, contact mwarner2543@gmail.com.

Wingspan Game Day Goes Quarterly!

Our first two Wingspan board game days have been so successful that we’ve decided to make a regular quarterly schedule! Enjoy an afternoon playing games with your DBC friends. Wingspan is a beautifully crafted game, where each player has several wildlife habitats in which to attract a variety of birds with unique characteristics and abilities. Players collect food, lay eggs, and draw birds from cards with stunning illustrations and interesting facts. It blends education with strategy, in an enjoyable atmosphere. You do not need to know how to play. We will teach you. If you know how to play, you […]

DBC Book Club Next Read – The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century

Now let’s get ready for a fascinating true-crime story as you journey into the underworld of plume peddlers and fanatical hobbyists obsessed with the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying as we read The Feather Thief  by Kirk Wallace Johnson. In 2009, a young American musician named Edwin Rist stole hundreds of rare bird skins from the British Museum of Natural History, many painstakingly collected 150 years earlier by a contemporary of Charles Darwin. The gorgeous feathers these rare birds sported were worth large sums of money to the men who shared Edwin’s obsession: the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. Years […]

Become a member today and join the DuPage Birding Club!

Scroll to Top