Birding in Michigan

The top birding locations in Michigan include Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, Algonac State Park, Allegan State Game Area, Allegan State Game Area - Farm Unit, Andrews University - Agriculture Education Center (Dairy), Arcadia Marsh, Au Gres River Mouth, Au Sable Township Shoreline Park, Au Train - Beach, Batteese Lake, Bay City State Park, Belle Isle, Bete Grise, Bird Road Sewage Ponds (Park outside gates, even if open. Do not block driveway), Black Lake Park, Boardman Lake - Logans Landing, Brown Sanctuary, Camp Au Sable (Camp Residents or Staff Only), Cheboygan State Park, Chelsea State Game Area - Four Mile Lake, Chippewa Nature Center, Copper Harbor (town), Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center, Crosswinds Marsh, Dalton Road area, Dansville State Game Area, Detroit River IWR - Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Dingman Marsh, Dune Harbor Park, Elberta Marsh, Elizabeth Park (Trenton), Erie Marsh Preserve/Gun Club (no access Sep 1-Jan 1), Fenner Nature Center, Fish Point State Wildlife Area, Fisherman's Island State Park, Ford House, Fort Custer State Recreation Area, Fort Gratiot Nature Preserve, Galien River County Park, Gitche Gumee Ecolodge, Graham Point, Grand Marais, Grand Mere State Park, Haehnle Sanctuary, Harbor Island, Harley Ensign Memorial Boating Access Site, Harrisville Harbor, Harsens Island, Holland State Park, Houghton Lake Flats Flooding, Houghton Lake Sewage Ponds (limited access; M-F 8-4 only), Independence Lake County Park, Indian Springs Metropark, Ionia State Recreation Area, Isaacson Bay, Island Lake State Recreation Area, Joseph M. Soehnel Nature Trail/Hampton Township Nature Trail, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, Kensington Metropark - general (Oakland County only), Kleinstuck Preserve, Lake Erie Metropark, Lake Hudson State Recreation Area, Lake Saint Clair Metropark (Metro Beach Metropark), Lakeview Park/Manistique Boardwalk, Leelanau State Park - North, LeFurge Woods Nature Preserve, Lighthouse County Park, Little Glen Park, Ludington State Park, Mackinac Island, Mackinaw Straits Hawk Watch site, Maple Bay Natural Area, Maple River State Game Area, Marquette - Lower Harbor, Matthaei Botanical Gardens, McGulpin Point, Millennium Park, Munuscong Wildlife Management Area - Munuscong River mouth, Munuscong Wildlife Management Area (Munuscong Potholes), Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, Muskegon State Game Area - Headquarters, Muskegon State Game Area - Lane's Landing, Muskegon State Park, Muskegon Wastewater System, Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area, New Buffalo beach and marina, Nichols Arboretum, North Bay Park/Ford Lake Boardwalk, Oakwoods Metropark, Ojibwa Beach and Sand Point, Old Mission Point Park/Lighthouse Park, Oval Beach, Partridge Point, Paul Henry-Thornapple Trail - Middleville, Peninsula Point, Pinconning Park, Pitsfield Banding Station (park at end of driveway), Platte Point, Pointe LaBarbe, Port Crescent State Park, Port Huron State Game Area, Portage Marsh (Portage Point), Presque Isle Park, Reeds Lake, Robert H. Long Park, Rose Lake State Wildlife Area, Roselle Park, Saint Johns Marsh, Sarett Nature Center, Saugatuck Dunes State Park, Seney National Wildlife Refuge, Seney National Wildlife Refuge - Pine Ridge Nature Trail, Seven Ponds Nature Center, Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge - Ferguson Bayou Trail, Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge - Wildlife Drive, Silver Lake State Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - Otter Creek/Esch Road beach area, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - Sleeping Bear Point, Sleepy Hollow State Park (Lake Ovid), Sterling State Park, Stony Creek Metropark - north, Stony Creek Metropark - south, Stu Visser Trails, Sturgeon River Sloughs WA (South Unit), Tahquamenon River Mouth, Tawas Bay, Tawas Point State Park, Three Oaks Sewage Ponds, Tiscornia Park, Tuttle Marsh Wildlife Area, UM Dearborn/Rouge River Bird Observatory, Upper Macatawa Natural Area - 84th Avenue access, Van Buren State Park, Vermillion Point Nature Preserve, Vreeland Road, Warren Dunes State Park, Warren Dunes State Park - Floral Ln., Waterloo RA - Crooked Lake, Waterloo RA - Portage Lake Unit, Watkins Lake, Wetzel State Park, Whitefish Point, Whiting Power Plant, Wilderness State Park, Wilderness State Park - Waugoshance Point, Window on the Waterfront, Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, Woodtick Peninsula. Each offers unique habitats and species.

The best seasons for birding in Michigan are Spring and Fall. Spring migration brings diverse species through the area.

Notable species in Michigan include Snowy Owl, Northern Goshawk, Red-necked Grebe, Parasitic Jaeger, Common Redpoll, Northern Shrike, Mourning Dove, American Herring Gull, and more. The state supports forest, coastal, grassland, wetland, river/riparian, urban park, lake, mountain habitats.