![]() They are well known for their complex courtship dancing rituals and long distance migrations. These large birds are up to 4.5 feet tall, which makes them the largest birds in the Great Lake state.Īdult Sandhill Cranes have pale gray body plumage, as well as a red crown and forehead, which contrasts with a buff white cheek.ĭepending on their diet and location, some Sandhill Cranes can have a rusty color instead of the normal gray coloration. Now let’s dive into the details, and take a closer look at each of these species in order to get the full scoop: Sandhill Crane Yet other birds are summer visitors during the breeding season, and some are scarce vagrants that are rarely seen in the state (more on that below). While many of these big birds are year-round residents of Michigan, some only occur in the state during the winter, as migratory birds that spend the cold months in Michigan. ![]() The 17 types of large birds that can be seen in Michigan are: What are the types of large birds in Michigan? To help you identify the bird you saw, we’ll cover the most common large birds of Michigan in this article. Identifying big birds found in Michigan is not as easy as it might seem, since there are many bird species in Michigan that are on the large side. Rich Couse, the executive director of the MSRW, says even though the Straits are the best spot to cross, it’s still challenging for the birds.1.4 What is the largest bird of prey in Michigan?ĭid you recently come across a large bird in the state of Michigan, and want to know what species it was? He says it’s been kind of a slow day, but so far he has seen 12 turkey vultures, one sharp-shinned hawk, two red-shouldered hawks, eight red-tailed hawks, 50 sandhill cranes and one American Kestrel. “You can see up to like 300, and they're adult golden eagles coming through a lot of years." “This is one of the premium places in the United States to see golden eagles,” says Georg. ![]() "This is a seriously awesome migration corridor,” he says. He’s been all over the country, but he says the Straits are one of the best hawk watching spots. Then he records the two hawks on his data tablet.Ī former ironworker from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Georg has been a full-time raptor counter for 39 years. Georg leans out of his car door, binoculars in hand, partially protected from the bitterly cold winds. “Hey, Kevin, there's two behind you!" Edmonds says. He yells to Kevin Georg, an official counter hired by MSRW. "A red-tailed hawk just went by back there,” Edmonds says, pointing. ![]() Today, he looks to the sky at just the right moment. They also host a “ Raptor Fest” every year, which draws serious raptor-watching enthusiasts from around the country, like Russ Edmonds from Hartford City, Indiana. Hired by the Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch, he says Mackinaw City is one of the best spring hawk watches in the country. Interlochen Public Radio Kevin Georg has been a professional raptor counter for 39. The MSRW was formed in 2014 by a group of bird-lovers who thought the Straits weren’t getting the same scientific attention as other migration corridors in the U.S. Mackinaw City is like a raptor migration funnel. If you’re a raptor that needs to cross the Great Lakes, the Straits of Mackinac are the path. So they try to find the path of least resistance.” “They land in the water they're not gonna make it out. “They don't wanna fly over water they can't see the other side of,” says Richard Couse.Ĭouse is the executive director of the Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch (MSRW) - a nonprofit dedicated to counting the birds as they fly over. Like many other birds, they have to migrate north and south with the seasons to find food and nesting locations.īut they are not fans of large bodies of water. Raptors are a group of birds that include hawks, eagles and owls. But they are also one of the busiest migration spots for raptors, or birds of prey, in the United States. Over four million people crossed the Straits of Mackinac last year.
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