Jan. 5 is National Bird Day and Illinois has good reason to celebrate. Though some may take these feathery fauna for granted, birds are a key part of Illinois’ environment and deserve recognition.

As of 2024 there are 457 bird species in Illinois, of which 29 bird species are on the state threatened and endangered list. Birds make up several key niches in the ecosystem and are an important part of the food chain. Illinois has taken steps to protect her bird species with programs like the Illinois Beach State Park Shoreline Stabilization project on Lake Michigan. As a part of protecting the stability of the shoreline ecosystem, the project creates new potential nesting sites for three types of coastal bird species: the piping plover, common tern and Caspian tern. 

But it’s not just people from northern Illinois who appreciate birds. There are bird watching groups in the Metro East that flock to the Mississippi River every year to view bald eagles on the limestone bluffs. Hundreds of American Bald Eagles come through the Alton/Grafton area every winter and can be seen during special eagle watching programs.

Finally, National Bird Day cannot be complete without mention of the Illinois state bird, the cardinal. The males’ bright red plumage gives them away and they are often the first to visit feeders in the morning. Illinois was the first of seven states to adopt the cardinal as their state bird and it can be seen commonly statewide. The cardinal was selected by Illinois schoolchildren from a list of potential candidates in 1929.

With the Bears headed for another losing season, Illinois football fans may be looking for some uplifting sports information in these trying times.

What most football fans may not know is that the first NFL game in history was played in Rock Island, Illinois. The game, played at Douglas Park, was held on Sept. 26, 1920 between the Rock Island Independents and the St. Paul Ideals. The Rock Island Independents hosted and won in a blowout 48 points to 0.

Haven’t heard of these teams? Most folks haven’t. Only two of the original NFL teams still exist. The Chicago Cardinals, now the Arizona Cardinals, and the Decatur Staleys, who are now the Chicago Bears. The matchup in Rock Island followed decades of Illinois high school and college play in the late 1800s. There were other professional leagues that existed prior to the NFL, with many teams participating from Illinois. The rest is history as football went on to become an American tradition watched enthusiastically by millions today.

This December, add a bit of holiday cheer to your regular commute or explore new places by catching a ride on holiday transit offered across the state.

Whether by bus, train or trolley, these rides add joy and magic to cold winter days that the whole family can enjoy.

See our list below to plan your next ride:

Illinois has a storied history of innovation and the brownie is a sweet inclusion to that list of achievements. The brownie has become an American classic with 1.5 billion brownies consumed each year according to the National Brownie Committee of America. Brownies were not always part of the American diet, however, and in 1893 the world would get its first taste of the chocolate desert. 

The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago and its board included the first women to work on a world’s fair in an official capacity.  One of the chairwomen was Bertha Honore, wife of Potter Palmer, who built the famous Palmer House in the Chicago Loop in 1871.  Bertha requested a “chocolate cake-like treat” that could be easily transported for the fair. The Palmer House’s pastry chef, Joseph Sehl, was tasked with and created the first brownie batch, complete with walnuts and apricot glaze.

The brownies were a hit and were featured five years later in a Sears Roebuck catalog and the rest is history. “Bertha’s Brownie” is still served at the Palmer House’s Lockwood Restaurant using the original recipe.