Birds, Illinois

Birds
Unincorporated community
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Lawrence
Coordinates	38°50′12″N 87°40′6″W / 38.83667°N 87.66833°WCoordinates: 38°50′12″N 87°40′6″W / 38.83667°N 87.66833°W
Area	0.2 sq mi (1 km^2)
- land	0.2 sq mi (1 km^2)
Population	51 (2000)
Density	246.8/sq mi (95/km^2)
Timezone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Postal code	62415
Area code	618
Location of Birds within Illinois
Wikimedia Commons: Birds, Illinois

Birds is an unincorporated community in Lawrence County, Illinois, United States. The population was 51 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a village. Birds disincorporated on April 7, 2009.^[1]

Geography

Birds is located at 38°50′12″N 87°40′6″W / 38.83667°N 87.66833°W (38.836617, -87.668467).^[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village had a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²), all land.

Demographics

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 51 people, 22 households, and 13 families residing in the village. The population density was 235.6 people per square mile (89.5/km²). There were 30 housing units at an average density of 101.6 per square mile (38.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population.

There were 22 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.3% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the village the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 17.6% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 82.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $23,438, and the median income for a family was $25,417. Males had a median income of $20,833 versus $10,000 for females. The per capita income for the village was $9,216. There were 33.3% of families and 20.0% of the population living below the poverty line, including 29.4% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Notable Residents

Bobbi Rose - Most distinguished Reggie Redbird mascot at Illinois State University. Quoted as saying, "As a small girl growing up in Birds, I always dreamed of being the most famous of all Illinois birds, the Redbird. I remember feeling very homesick when I arrived at Illinois State. But, the first time I became Reggie, I felt I could take my Birds nest anywhere and feel at home. I thank Birds for inspiring me to take on the challenge of being Reggie and for allowing me to spread my wings and fly."

It is said that Bobbi was born on March 17, 1986. Reports indicate she was born much earlier, but it is known that this is the date that Bobbi's life really began. Ever since this day, the residents of Birds no longer celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but instead have officially declared it Bobbi Rose day. Similar to a New Years resolution, there is an annual tradition at 7:00am on March 17 where residents of Birds call their boss and tell them one character trait of Bobbi Rose they will work to emulate during the year. There is a legend that Bobbi bought her first car for $1 because she was able to convince the owner of Birds Ford that branding his dealership using her head shot would be worth a million bucks.

References

1. "Boundary Changes". Geographic Change Notes: Illinois. Population Division, United States Census Bureau. 2010-01-01. Archived from the original on 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2011-07-03.
2. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
3. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.