A lot of people have been catching a lot of Pokemon in the Metroparks. But did you know, for each Pokemon creature, there is a real-life critter, possibly lurking nearby.

1. Spearow
#021 Normal/Flying Pokémon
House Sparrow
Like Spearow, House Sparrows are so
common as to be ubiquitous. Not a
true sparrow, they are invaders from
Europe and have become pests,
crowding out more desirable, native
birds. House Sparrows will push other
species’ nests and eggs out of bird
houses and claim them for their own.
For this reason they were at one time a
major threat to the previously
endangered Eastern Bluebird.
Habitat: Cities, parks, zoos, farms.

2. Zubat
#041 Poison/Flying Pokémon
Big Brown Bat
In the summer, the Big Brown bat will
roost in colonies, typically inside a
house or barn. They begin foraging
about 20 minutes after sundown, and
will consume hundreds of insects
within a single evening! They specialize
in beetles and crop pests. Similarly to
Zubat, Big Brown Bats live in caves
during the winter.
Habitat: Farmlands, rural areas, cities.

3. Caterpie
#010 Bug-type Pokémon
Spicebush Swallowtail
Caterpillar
The Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar
makes its home here on spicebush and
sassafras trees. Its most prominent
feature is the pair of orange and black
eyespots near the front of its body.
These spots mimic the eyes of a snake,
creating an imposing persona that will
scare away enemies. When attacked, it
will expose a red, Y-shaped appendage
called an osmeterium, which is thought
to mimic a snake’s tongue, to repel
potential predators. Caterpie has an
osterium, too.
Habitat: Open woods, woodland
borders, meadows, streams.

4. Vulpix
#037 Fire-type Pokémon
Red Fox
Red foxes are dedicated parents; they
will form strong pair-bonds during the
mating season and will stay together
until the kits have dispersed. They will
modify abandoned woodchuck dens to
use as homes for the family unit. Like
Vulpix, Red Fox mothers have been
known to feign injury, a type of
distraction display, in order to lure
predators away from the den.
Habitat: Forest-field edges, brushy
fence lines, wooded borders of streams
and lakes.

5. Beedrill
#015 Bug/Poison Pokémon
Eastern
Cicada
Killer
Eastern Cicada Killers are large, solitary wasps that dig
burrows in sandy soil. Females sting cicadas to paralyze
them and carry them to the burrow, just as Beedrills do.
There, they lay an egg under one of the cicada’s legs.
When the egg hatches, the larva feeds on the cicada,
taking care to keep it alive. When the larva has reached a
sufficient size, it will spin itself into a cocoon in which it
metamorphoses into an adult.
Habitat: Forested areas, grasslands, city parks and urban
gardens where there is loose, sandy ground with
prolonged exposure to sunlight.

6. Ekans
#023 Poison-type Pokémon
Blue RacerBlue Racers are a subspecies of the Eastern
Racer. Their prey includes frogs, rabbits,
squirrels and bird eggs. Although their name
implies speed, they can only reach 8 to 10
Mph. Unlike Ekans, Blue Racers do not have a
rattle, but they will nevertheless vibrate their
tails when threatened.
Habitat: Dry sunny areas with access to cover,
like old fields, open woodlands, and even
marshes and lake edges.

7. Eevee
#133 Normal-type Pokémon
Coyote
Over the years since European settlement, Coyote have
become accustomed to the presence of humans and are
much more tolerant to human activity than their other canid
(dog family) relatives. There have been studies demonstrating
that Coyote, like Eevee, now make their homes in even the
most urban of settings, such as downtown Chicago. City
dwellers often mistake a coyote for a small German Shepherd.
Habitat: Prairies, brushy edges, parks, urban areas.

8. Pikachu
#025 Electric-type Pokémon
Eastern Chipmunk
Eastern Chipmunks make their homes in burrow systems with multiple rooms and
entrances. Each room has a designated purpose – nest, food storage, debris
storage. Solitary and territorial, they will vigorously defend their home turfs. Both
Pikachu and Eastern Chipmunks have cheek pouches. But where Pikachu stores
electricity, Eastern Chipmunks store food and nesting materials. Each cheek pouch
is capable of expanding to the size of its head, and can store hundreds of seeds.
Habitat: Stumps, rocky outcrops, and logs in deciduous forests.