Local Birding
Singing Woods Nature Preserve & Tawny Oaks Field Station
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| Directions | Take Highway 40 (Knoxville Avenue) north of Peoria, past Lake of the Woods, turn east on Cedar Hills Drive for about a mile, then turn north onto Singing Woods Road. Take Singing Woods Road up the hill and it will turn back west. Once you pass the power lines, the area north of road is Park District property. There are no signs, but there is a trail if you look carefully. You will need to park along the roadside.
Alternately, you can take Highway 40 (Knoxville Avenue) north of Peoria, past Lake of the Woods, turn east on Cedar Hills Drive for about two miles, then turn north onto Ivy Lake Road. Take Ivy Lake Road north for a little less than two miles. Just before the road takes a sharp jog north at a small creek, pull into a small unmarked grass parking area. From here you can walk west into Singing Woods along the creek. Google Map: Tawny Oaks Field Station
Singing Woods eBird Hotspot Map Tawny Oaks eBird Hotspot Map |
| Description | Singing Woods Owned by the Peoria Park District, Singing Woods Nature Preserve consists of nearly 1000 acres of wooded river bluff. It also includes several hill prairie restoration areas. Although there is no developed access the nature preserve provides important migratory and breeding habitat for forest interior birds. Sheer size makes this among the best areas to search for migrating songbirds in spring and fall. Barred, Eastern Screech, and Great Horned Owls are also common in winter. Tawny Oaks Tawny Oaks is the newest environmental facility of the Peoria Park District. Located next to Singing Woods, it is a 700 acre Illinois Nature Preserve. The mission of Tawny Oaks is “focus the community on the rich biological heritage of Central Illinois and engage people in its protection and restoration.” The property contains a prairie restoration, 1⁄2 mile of handicap accessible trail, picnic area and visitor center with restrooms. It also serves as the trailhead for connecting a trail system into Singing Woods Nature Preserve which consists of 4 miles of rugged trails. |
| Suggested Route/Stops |
Since Singing Woods is an undeveloped area, with few trails, and steep bluffs plan your hike accordingly. The area along the creek, off of Ivy Lake Road if the most productive during migration. The upland wooded bluff and hill prairies can be good for finding breeding woodland birds. Parking is available at the Tawny Oaks Field Station, with trails leading into Singing Woods. |
| Commonly Seen Birds |
Spring/Fall -- Good for woodland warblers
Summer -- Red-headed & Pileated Woodpeckers, nesting owls, Cooper's Hawk, Worm-eating Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Ovenbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Scarlet and Summer Tanager Winter -- Owls Latest Birding Reports -- Click the eBird Hotspot Maps
Singing Woods eBird Hotspot Map Tawny Oaks eBird Hotspot Map |