Their distinctive color（scarlet（鲜红的，深红的）for males，buffy（淡黄色的）brown and red for females），pronounced crest，heavy bill，and easily recognizable（可辨认的）song make cardinals（Cardinalis cardinalis）some of the most readily identified birds in the state．
Today this bird is a common year－round resident throughout the state．This has not always been the case．Since about 1900the cardinal has greatly increased in abundance in northern Illinois．Around the turn of the century it was considered a rare visitor to the Chicago area；now it is quite common in that area．Urbanization（都市化）and the increased use of bird feeders may have allowed the cardinals to expand their range northward．
Cardinals build their nests in bushes．Their nests are usually about 1．5meters（4to 5ft．）above the ground．The eggs are laid between the middle of April and the middle of August．Cardinals usually lay several clutches（一次孵的蛋；一窝雏）of eggs each season．Each clutch consists of between two and five whitish eggs with dark streaks and spots on them．
Cardinals usually feed on the ground or in low bushes．They eat a wide variety of insects，grains，wild fruits，and seeds．They are common birds around bird feeders．
State Flower州花
伊利诺斯州是新泽西州、罗得岛州、威斯康星州四州中第一个将紫罗兰作为州花的州。它是在1908年由学生选为伊利诺斯州州花。尽管从名字上看它是紫色，但实质上，它有黄色、白色、蓝色、淡紫色和绿色。在伊利诺斯州至少有30种紫罗兰。大部分品种开出的花朵花瓣都含有5瓣。
Illinois was the first of four states to choose the violet as its state flower．The violet was selected to be Illinois’state flower by schoolchildren in 1908．The violet is also the state flower for New Jersey，Rhode Island and Wisconsin．
Although its name suggests its color，the violet comes in many colors including yellow，white，blue－violet，lilac－purple（紫丁香），and even an unusual green！There are at least 30common violet species in Illinois with at least 25types found in the Chicago area alone．Most species have small flowers usually containing five petals．
Violets are found in all kinds of sites from sunny prairies and lawns to shady woods and wetlands（潮湿的土壤，沼泽地）．The flowering season of the violet depends on the species and spans from mid－March to June．The whole violet is a favorite meal of rabbits，while mice，wild turkeys，ruffed grouse（松鸡）and mourning doves eat only the seeds．
One violet species is nicknamed “Johnny Jump－up”and many others have been the subject of poems and nursery rhymes．They have also been called “nature’s vitamin pill”．Believe it or not，violets are high in vitamin A and contain more vitamin C（ounce for ounce）than oranges！
The law that made the violet the state flower designated the “blue violet”．Unfortunately，Gleason and Cronquist recognize approximately（大约）eight species of blue－flowered violets in the state．The most common of these is the dooryard（〈美〉庭院）violet（Viola sororia）．
The dooryard violet is certainly one of the most recognizable native wildflowers in the state．It is also one of the most easily grown；it grows in anything from full sunlight to deep shade．
Many types of violets，including the dooryard violet，produce two kinds of flowers．The large showy flowers that people associate with the plants are common in the spring．After the showy flowers have bloomed，the plant produces small，closed flowers on short stems near the ground．These flowers look like small buds．It is these small，closed flowers that produce most of the seeds．
The showy flowers are edible（可食用的）．The petals are frequently covered with sugar and used as decorations（装饰）on cakes．
Family：Violet（Violaceae）
Habitat：woods，meadows，waste areas
Height：3—8inches
Flower size：3／4to 1inch wide
Flower color：blue－purple，occasionally white or bicolor（二色的）
Flowering time：April to June
Origin：native
State Flag州旗
在伊利诺斯州白底上有本州州徽，伊利诺斯州有两个州旗。在1915年7月6日，本州使用第一个州旗。1970年7月1日至现在使用的是第二个州旗。从白色为底色的州旗上我们可以看见，上面的图案是本州的州徽，最醒目的就是象征权力的鹰，在州徽的下面写着“Illinois”。
The state flag of Illinois shows the emblem（徽章）portion of the official state seal on a field of white．Beneath the seal is the word“Illinois”in blue．
Illinois has had two official state flags．
The first was officially adopted on July 6，1915，after a vigorous campaign by Mrs．Ella Park Lawrence，State Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution．
Early in 1912，Mrs．Lawrence began visiting local D．A．R．chapters throughout Illinois seeking cooperation in promoting selection of an official state banner to place in the Continental Memorial Hall in Washington，DC．
A prize of 25was offered to the Chapter submitting（提交，递交）the best design for the banner and four judges were selected to choose the winner．Thirty－five designs were submitted and the Rockford Chapter entry designed by Miss Lucy Derwent，was chosen．
State Senator Raymond D．Meeker introduced the bill which was to legalize（使得到法律认可，公认）the flag．The measure passed both Houses of the General Assembly and automatically became a law on July 6，1915，when Governor Edward F．Dunne failed to affix（使附于，粘贴）his signature to the bill．
The move to design a new state flag was initiated by Chief Petty Officer Bruce McDaniel of Waverly，then serving in Vietnam（越南）．The Illinois flag was one of many state flags which were hung on the walls of his mess hall（餐厅用来供应膳食和用膳的房屋或厅室，如在军队驻地中）；its identity was always questioned，so McDaniel requested that the flag carry the state’s name．
A bill to amend the original flag act of 1915was sponsored by Representative Jack Walker of Lansing and was passed by the General Assembly and approved by Governor Richard B．Ogilvie September 17，1969．This authorized a new flag to carry the word “Illinois”．
Governor Ogilvie appointed a committee consisting of the State Historian，the Director of the Illinois Information Service，and the State Records Archivist to develop specifications for the new state flag to ensure uniformity in reproduction of design and color by flag makers．