Audubon Mural Project in South Beloit, IL

In the city of South Beloit, which sits along a vibrant riverfront on the border of Illinois and Wisconsin, two murals and a glittering mosaic now highlight the region’s diverse avian residents—and the challenges they face. The works were created in partnership with the Audubon Mural Project and spearheaded by Jennifer Kuroda, president of the Sinnissippi Audubon chapter based in nearby Rockford. Kuroda, who has helped bring a bevy of other murals to northern Illinois, worked with Nature at the Confluence, an 80-acre nature preserve and environmental learning center, and received funding from the city and an Audubon in Action chapter grant to bring the artworks to life.

The three installations—one located in the city’s downtown, and two onsite at Nature at the Confluence—feature a range of plants and birds that can be spotted in the region, from migratory Whooping Cranes to songbirds like the Eastern Meadowlark. The combination of birds and art can offer an entry point for people to learn more about the environment around them, says Julie Uram, executive director of Nature at the Confluence. “It is such a great gateway to get people of all different ages interested in coming out and spending time outside together,” she says.

“Where the Grasses Grow” by Justin Suarez

Location: Nature at the Confluence

Painted: August 2025

For years, a pair of Bald Eagles nesting on the Rock River have been a favorite sight for visitors to Nature at the Confluence. Now, another eagle has arrived at the center: a larger-than-life bird painted in dramatic profile, flanked by a colorful lineup of songbirds that can be found in the area. The mural, created by Rochester, New York–based artist Justin Suarez, stretches along two sides of a wooden shed, spotlighting the birds amid native prairie plants and a dramatic orange sky. 

Along with their local celebrity status, Bald Eagles—which have bounced back since the pesticide DDT was largely banned in the United States— are an excellent bird for teaching about the power of conservation, Uram says. “Not that long ago, eagles were almost extinct because of, mainly, our use of chemicals and habitat destruction,” Uram says. “But because of community efforts and public policy, things got better, and eagle populations are recovering.”

Meanwhile, the five other birds—the Scarlet Tanager, American Goldfinch, Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, and Eastern Meadowlark—are all local species that need fresh action in the face of a threat to their survival. They are all imperiled by a changing climate. Grassland birds such as the Eastern Meadowlark and Song Sparrow face the steepest declines of any bird groups today, and climate change may further shrink their available habitat. The Scarlet Tanager, a resident of northern forests, could be pushed out of 68 percent of its current range if climate change continues at its current pace, according to Audubon’s Survival By Degrees report.

Calling attention to such species and the threats they face is a major goal for Suarez. The painter, who goes by the artist name Aerosol Kingdom, previously spent more than a decade working at a center for injured birds of prey. The experience “not only made me extremely passionate about these animals, but also gave me the opportunity to really study their anatomy up close,” he says. 

He’s been honing his mural skills since he first started painting graffiti at age 17 in his hometown of Albany. Today, he travels the country to create large-scale works that often feature birds and other species with lifelike precision—including several prior pieces for the Audubon Mural Project. “I personally feel that you can get just as much small detail using a can of spray paint as you can with the tiniest brush,” he says. 

Uram hopes his new work, which is visible from the road, will help welcome more people to the center to learn, unplug, and connect with the natural world. For Suarez, each mural he paints is like planting a seed—one that can inspire others to learn something about wildlife, or maybe even spur them to see other blank walls as potential canvases for public art. “It’s really special to be able to know that this work that I’m doing has a life beyond me,” Suarez says. “As I travel and paint these murals, I’m leaving a piece of myself behind as I go.”

“The Last Watcher” by Brett Whitacre

Location: 511 Blackhawk Blvd., South Beloit, IL

Painted: July 2025

On the side of a squat brick building housing an antique shop, a Whooping Crane stands serenely in front of a wetland vista at sunset. The mural, titled “The Last Watcher,” features a frame of boldly colored stripes and a bouquet of native prairie plants.

The majestic waders—the tallest birds in North America—cut a dramatic figure in their wetland habitats, with bright white plumage and deep red heads. Once nearly extinct, the birds have bounced back with the help of intensive conservation efforts, though they remain endangered in the United States. 

One project has involved breeding birds in captivity to reestablish wild flocks in areas where they’d disappeared, including a group that now migrates across the eastern United States. Birds from that flock are regularly spotted in northern Illinois as they make their way between breeding grounds in Wisconsin and winter sites in the Southeast. “We’re in a major flyway for Whooping Cranes, and we have them stop over here quite a bit,” Kuroda says. 

Today, the comeback birds still face threats; the eastern flock is down an estimated 64 cranes after several recent losses, including from suspected avian flu mortalities. Climate change also threatens to shrink their habitat further, pushing them out of more than 80 percent of their current range if warming continues at its current pace, per Audubon’s Survival By Degrees report. 

The mural serves as a reminder to keep watching out for these avian neighbors—and is a scenic addition to the urban landscape. Illinois-based artist Brett Whitacre brought his signature pop art style to the piece, adding an eye-catching burst of color to the city. “It just really lights up that area,” Kuroda says.

“Woodrow the Woodpecker” by SPARK! Mosaic

Location: Nature at the Confluence

Installed: October 2025

Each year in Rockford, Illinois, artist Susan Burton leads SPARK! Mosaic, a free summer program for local students to learn art skills and create their own mosaic works. During the 2025 session, Kuroda joined forces with the program to help students create a series of bird-focused artworks—including this larger-than-life sculpture dubbed “Woodrow the Woodpecker.”

The 9-foot-tall piece depicts a boldly colored Red-headed Woodpecker perched on a pedestal decorated with whimsical designs. Building the massive bird first involved carving the shape out of Styrofoam and coating it with mesh and cement. The group then painstakingly cut and placed hundreds of colorful glass pieces all over the surface. 

Today, Woodrow resides near the entrance to Nature at the Confluence. “It helps welcome and guide people,” Uram says. “The beak strategically points toward our front door like an arrow.” The piece is an ode to a species that was once common across the East, but has become more of a rare sight as its populations have declined in recent years. Though they nest in Illinois today, climate change could push the striking woodpeckers out of breeding grounds across most of the state if warming continues, Audubon’s science predicts.

Burton hopes Woodrow can serve as a reminder of the beauty of native birds and the importance of protecting them—and believes mosaics offer a perfect medium to deliver such a conservation message. “Whether it's creating art, helping their community, or protecting wildlife, small actions add up. That’s what a mosaic teaches,” Burton says. “One tiny piece by itself doesn’t seem like much, but when everyone contributes, something amazing happens.”