The buzz
All Buzz Articles
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A striped skunk walking in grass.
Quiz: What's your skunk IQ?
3/13/2025Find out by answering these 10 questions.
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A side-by-side comparison of a bobcat and a lynx. Both cats are walking through snowy landscapes.
What's the difference?: Bobcat vs. Canada lynx
3/7/2025Only one wild cat — the bobcat — lives in Illinois, but in other areas of its range the bobcat can be confused with its close relative the Canada lynx.
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A group of more than a dozen American white pelicans standing on and around a log in shallow water.
Migration watch: Pelicans are back in Will County
3/5/2025One of the most anticipated events among birders each spring and fall is the arrival of the American white pelicans, and now is the time you'll once again start seeing these birds along waterways in the area.
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A woodcock walking across grass.
Quiz: Are you wise about woodcocks?
3/5/2025Test your knowledge with these 10 questions.
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A downy woodpecker perched on a tree trunk with a spot visible where they have cleared the bark.
Quiz: Are you a downy woodpecker whiz?
2/26/2025Can you ace this 10-question quiz?
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A badger peering out from a hole in the ground with dirt covering its face.
Five fast facts about fast-digging American badgers
2/20/2025Get to know the American badger, one of the animal kingdom's more renowned diggers.
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A woolly bear caterpillar on a wooden surface.
Nature curiosity: Why don't woolly bear caterpillars freeze to death?
2/19/2025Despite what you may have heard, woolly bear caterpillars can't predict how bad the winter weather will be. But they do have a pretty cool way to survive even the most frigid temperatures.
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An eastern screech owl perched atop a tree snag.
Quiz: Are you an expert on screech owls?
2/18/2025Take this 10-question quiz to find out.
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A deer in the snow.
Nature curiosity: How do deer stay warm in winter?
2/17/2025Deer can't escape the cold during a long, harsh winter, so how do they survive? They rely on a combination of adaptations and behavioral changes to make it through the cold winter months.
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A partially frozen stream in a snowy landscape.
Why is the world so quiet when it snows? The science behind the silence
2/12/2025It's not just a myth that the world seems more quiet after a snowfall. There's science behind the silence.
Current Headlines
Half-price dog park permits go on sale July 1
Half-price dog park permits will be available for purchase starting July 1 online and at Sugar Creek Administration Center in Joliet. The permits can be used at all six Forest Preserve dog parks through the end of 2025.
Volunteer opportunities abound in the preserves this summer
The Forest Preserve District is offering a variety of short-term volunteer opportunities this summer, from hands-on habitat restoration to helping at public programs and events. With limited space and high demand, early registration is encouraged.