A Coloring Book for Adults
featuring THE 12 PRIORITY SPECIES OF CHICAGO WILDERNESS
BOB OL I
BR OW AD ED
W
CKER (MELAN DPE ER O P O
E
RED-H E
E GR
A
(OPHEODR YS AKE
VE
R
)
)
TH
S
SN EN
S MO O
MOTTL
BU
LIS
PA TC
B EE ( B O M
S INI
RUSTY
GU S)
NA
L
YOTIS LUCIFU
LITTLE
HENSL OW ’S ED
SC
B
BLUESPO TT
BLAND I VE
E (
ELLIPS
MO NA RC H
N
T (M BA
CEPHALUS HRO ) YT ER
MBLE BU D HE
FF
(S RY LA
OR
S
U
PEYERIA IDALIA )
REGAL FR ITI
W II )
OTTUS BAIRDII )
(C IN P UL
CHONYX ORY O LI ZIV
(D K
) US
LO
EX I PP
A M MO D R A M OW ( US R AR H SP
S EN
(DANAUS PL
ALE) TER LA
FLY
S)
R TE UT
N
A
M ) IS
NU
HA ELLIP ONC SIF AC OR T S
ED
ANDER (AMB YS LAM A TO S M
BL AN DI
II)
NG ’S
YDOIDEA
NG
(EM TLE R TU
Small in Size — Massive in Importance
Take a deep breath, turn the page, and venture into Chicago Wilderness on this coloring journey of our region's 12 priority species. Together, these 12 critters would fit in your carry-on luggage. They are small but mighty, and they represent globally rare ecosystems in parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PRIORITY SPECIES LEAD PARTNERS: Audubon Chicago Region The Field Museum Illinois Department of Natural Resources Illinois Natural History Survey Lake County Forest Preserves Lincoln Park Zoo National Great Rivers Research and Education Center The Nature Conservancy, Illinois Chapter Openlands Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
ADDITIONAL THANKS TO OUR PRIORITY SPECIES ADVISORS: Chicago Botanic Garden Forest Preserve District of Kane County Shedd Aquarium USDA Forest Service
Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) This regionally endangered yellow-chinned turtle spends a lot of its time in water, but is known to travel long distances over land. It matures slowly, not until age 14 to 20, and can live up to 80 years or more. Featured Plants: Softstem Bulrush (Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani) and Broad-leaved Cattail (Typha latifolia).
Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale) Distinguished by its pale blue specks, this salamander spends much of its time underground in woodlands and benefits from restoration of small wetlands. Featured Plant: Swamp White Oak Leaf (Quercus bicolor).
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) This unmistakable grassland beauty delivers a bubbly song in spring and summer, fluttering over hayfields, meadows, and prairies. Featured Plants: Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) and Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium).
Ellipse (Venustaconcha ellipsiformis) The ellipse, like many mussels in North America, is declining in population. At three inches or less, this little critter filters headwater streams as well as gravel and cobble habitat throughout Chicago Wilderness.
Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) This small and cryptic sparrow is vulnerable to the loss of large, native prairies where it prefers to nest. Efforts to revitalize such lands restore hope for the Henslow’s Sparrow. Featured Plant: Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii).
Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) Weighing less than a few nickels, this bat roosts in old trees, snags, and buildings. Once common throughout the United States, the little brown bat has declined in recent years due to white nose syndrome, an emerging fungal disease.
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) The monarch butterfly ventures through Chicago Wilderness on its multi-generation migration between Mexico and Canada and depends on milkweed plants in backyards, parks, roadsides, and other open spaces for food. Featured Plants: Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa).
Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdii) Find a cold, unpolluted headwater stream, and there’s a chance mottled sculpins are present. Sporting a big head, narrow body, and large pectoral fins, it hides under rocks, preys on smaller aquatic critters, and aggressively defends the nest of its mate. Featured Plant: Eel Grass (Vallisneria americana).
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) This distinctly red-headed bird inhabits oak woodlands and savannas. Its drastic decline is the result of oak ecosystem loss across the region. Featured Plant: Black Oak (Quercus velutina).  
Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) The population of this large and colorful butterfly has dropped since the 1970s. It inhabits large, intact prairies that contain abundant prairie and bird’s foot violets, the food of its caterpillars. Featured Plants: Bird’s Foot Violet (Viola pedata) and Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa).
Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis) Easily recognizable by its orange markings, this important pollinator has experienced rapid decline in range and abundance. Featured Plant: Smooth Blue Aster (Aster laevis).
Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis) This friendly snake depends on tall grass prairie, sedge meadows, prairie ponds, and oak savannas. It is designated as a Species in Greatest Need of Conservation in Illinois, and is State Endangered in Indiana. Featured Plants: Rattlesnake Master (Erynigium yuccifolium) and Long-awned Bracted Sedge (Carex gravida).
BOB OL I
BR OW LITTLE
GU S)
AD ED
O WO
CKER (MELAN DPE ER
PE
RED-H E A
SN EN
E
S
GR
MOTTL
BU
(OPHEODR YS AKE
VE
R )
)
TH
HENSL OW ’S
YOTIS LUCIFU
LIS
PA TC
B EE ( B O M
S INI
RUSTY
L
N
T (M BA
NA
MBLE BU D HE
S MO O
BLAND I VE
E (
ELLIPS
ED
SC
TTUS BAIRD II) (CO
FF
(S RY LA
OR
CEPHALUS HRO ) YT ER
B
PIN UL
CHONYX ORY O LI ZIV
(D K
S
S)
MO NA RC H
W II )
U
PEYERIA IDALIA )
REGAL FR ITI
LO
Y (DANAUS PLEX R FL I PP
(A M M O D R A M US ROW R A H SP
S EN
) IS
TE UT
ALE) TER LA
NCHA ELLIPSI CO FO TA RM S U
N
A
II)
N
ED
ANDER (AMB YS LAM TO SA
) US
BL AN DI
BLUESPO TT
YDOIDEA
M
(EM TLE R TU
NG
NG ’S
THE 12 PRIORITY SPECIES of CHICAGO WILDERNESS
Supporting these Species
Chicago Wilderness, a regional conservation alliance, drives the priority species effort with lead partner organizations. Our lead partners, in turn, coordinate with numerous other Chicago Wilderness member organizations, including taxonomic specialists, educators, social scientists, ecologists, businesses, and various types of landowners. Together, they restore, plant, and monitor critical habitats. Selection criteria included the species’ distribution, habitat, synergy with existing efforts, and whether coordinated action would positively impact each species. This is the first time that Chicago Wilderness has rallied around such a focused group of animals to advance measurable, on-the-ground change. By supporting these species, we support critical habitats including wetlands, woodlands, prairies, savannas, streams, and lakes.
ONE REGION. ONE VISION. ONE VOICE. Founded in 1996, Chicago Wilderness is a regional alliance that leads strategy to preserve, improve, and expand nature and quality of life. To complement our priority species work, we collaborate with our 200 member organizations across five additional focus areas in order to... protect our oak ecosystems improve our water engage private and public landowners streamline data for member use broaden our constituency, building beyond the choir ...............................................................
LEGACY PARTNER:
Forest Preserves of Cook County
PHOTOS:
Caroline Hlohowskyj (Rusty Patched Bumble Bee) Roger Klocek (Ellipse) Phil Willink (Mottled Sculpin) Doug Taron (Regal Fritillary)
ILLUSTRATIONS: Ember Sven
Next up: priority plants! ................................................................
SHARE YOUR Art and get involved !
312.224.8028 / info@chicagowilderness.org chicagowilderness.org 8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 2101 Chicago, IL 60603 Printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper. © Chicago Wilderness 2016.