Flight is direct. Juvenile has black-brown underparts. Eye-ring is white. Wings and tail are chestnut-brown. Juvenile more red-brown. During peak breeding season, bill, legs and irises turn a bright red. It is an opportunistic feeder with fish as the primary food source. Blue-winged Teal: This small dabbling duck has a purple-gray head and a distinct white crescent on the face. Field guides, illustrations, and database Copyright © 2004 - 2013. Green herons can be found on lakes, ponds, rivers and wetlands in Michigan. It feeds on aquatic plants, insects and mollusks. Feeds by dipping head and neck in water. It has yellow eyes, blue-gray bill, black tail and black wings with white patches. Flap-and-glide flight, also soars on thermals. Legs covered in white down. The Chequamegon and Nicolet National Forests were combined into one National Forest in 1993; however, bird data are reported separately for these administrative units to preserve the historical and spatial integrity of the respective datasets. Wings have two bold white bars. The sexes are similar. The tail is black with white outer tail feathers that are conspicuous in flight and flicked continually when walking. Difficult to distinguish from Snowy Egret. Photo by www.mikelentzphotography.com, used with permission. Gadwall: This large dabbling duck has a finely barred gray body, black rump and under tail coverts, a white belly, and rust-brown shoulders. Forages in grassy fields. Feeds on insects, frogs, fruits and berries. Hawaiian Moorhen: This moorhen is a subspecies of the Common Gallinule. Hooded Merganser: This small merganser has black upperparts, white underparts with two black bars on side of breast, and red-brown flanks. Low, direct flight with rapid wing beats. Medium length bill, tail short with a square tip. Best distinguished by its habit of standing in a semi-crouch and bobbing back and forth. Fairly long, black, rectangular tail with long, needle-like central tail feathers. Male had longer tail feathers. Copepods and cladocerans, microscopic crustaceans, are important in the animal … Piping Plover: Small, pale sand-colored plover, showy black bands on head, neck. Rather short, black-gray legs and webbed feet. Sexes similar. Flies in straight line or V formation. The sexes are similar. Black-headed Grosbeak: Large, stocky finch, black-streaked, orange-brown back, black head, wings, tail. Wild Turkey, photo by Robert Howe, used with permission. Travels alone or in small flocks. Long, slightly forked, faintly barred tail. Nicolet National Forest Bird Survey volunteer listening and documenting bird calls during a 10-minute point count. The wings are dark gray and tail is dark and forked. Feeds on fish, crustaceans and amphibians. Boreal birds (spruce grouse, black-backed woodpecker, great gray owl, boreal chickadee, gray jay, ruby-crowned kinglet, and several boreal warbler species) were most likely to be found in the Superior National Forest, the northernmost National Forest in this study area, which contributed significantly to the uniqueness of the Superior National Forest’s regional avifauna. Head is dark and eye-ring is white. The Great Lakes Center for Nature will be home to a number of Great Lakes fish, including lake sturgeon – and will focus on conservation efforts for these and other endangered species. Dark tail has white edges. It has a black-tipped orange bill, orange legs and feet and a brown tail with white edges. Feeds on crane flies and brine shrimp. Short tail, green-yellow legs with webbed feet. Has a 15-16 inch-long black tail with deep fork. Birders and hunters share similar conservation values, but rarely cross paths. Bank Swallow: Small swallow with brown upperparts, and a brown breast band seperating white underparts from white throat and chin. Underparts are lighter brown with brown barring. High direct flight on choppy wing beats. Rainbow Bee-eater: Small, green bee-eater with turquoise-blue back, rump, and vent. The upper mandible is dark and the lower is yellow. Juvenile like adult but has pink-brown bill. It has a black face, throat and belly and white forehead and crown that extends over the eye, down the back and sides of the neck. Feeds on fish, crustaceans, carrion, eggs, insects, larvae,fruits and berries. Blue-gray wings have white bars. The bill, legs and feet are yellow, and the eyes are medium brown. Dark decurved bill. Least Flycatcher: Small flycatcher with olive-gray upperparts, gray breast, and pale yellow belly. Northern Pintail: This large duck has gray and black upperparts, white neck and underparts, gray sides, long black pointed tail, brown head, throat and nape. It has a strong direct flight with deep wing beats. Face, chin, throat, upper breast are orange-brown. Common Gallinule: Medium, chicken-like marsh bird with gray-brown back and slate-gray head, neck, breast, and belly. It feeds on aquatic insects, crustaceans, seeds and plant matter. Long, somewhat pointed wings. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. Reddish Egret: Medium egret with blue-gray body and shaggy, pale rufous head and neck. Legs, feet are orange. From the Great Plains to the Great Lakes, the birding in the center of North America is sensational all year long. Direct flight on steady wing beats. Yellow-tipped red bill is short with red frontal plate extending onto forehead. Trumpeter Swan: Largest swan in the world, completely white but with head and neck often stained rust-brown from contact with ferrous minerals in wetland soils. Oriental Reed-Warbler: Small brown warbler with short crest, white-buff line above and in front of eye, white throat and breast, and white-buff on rest of underparts. Territorial in both its winter and summer ranges. Nashville Warbler. Great Black-backed Gull: World's largest gull. It has an orange-brown head, white belly, orange bill with dark drooped tip and orange-yellow legs. Western Grebe: Large, long-necked grebe with dark gray upperparts, white underparts, gray sides and flanks. Shoulder patches are visible in flight. Lesser Yellowlegs: This large sandpiper has gray and black mottled upperparts, white underparts, and streaked upper breast and sides. Slow direct flight with an erratic pattern. Juvenile lacks central tail feathers and is olive-gray with some yellow on throat. Long, green-yellow legs and feet. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats, feet protrude beyond tail. Blackburnian warbler, Canada warbler, Cape May warbler, ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets, gray jay, magnolia warbler, Swainson’s thrush, and winter wren were present in all four national forests, but their numbers and frequencies were significantly higher in the Superior National Forest. Feeds on fish, aquatic insects, and their larvae. Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. Outer tail feathers and undertail coverts are white. Fairly long, brown-yellow bill, black-gray on culmen. White outer primaries with black trailing edges are visible in flight. The wings have a green speculum and a pale blue shoulder patch visible in flight. Forages on ground and in trees and bushes. Juvenile is similar to adult with more brown on head and neck.. Kentish Plover: Small shorebird with dark gray legs, short black bill, and white underparts. Low direct flight; wings flap in shallow arcs, producing clipped, stiff wing beats on drooping wings. It mainly feeds on insects and other small invertebrates. Swift flight with rapid wing beats. Wings are black with extensive white patches. Fulvous Whistling-Duck: Large, long-legged, long-necked duck with dark brown back and white V-shaped rump patch. It feeds primarily on insects. Plovers -- Great Lakes Region (North America) Shore birds -- Great Lakes Region (North America) Endangered species -- Great Lakes Region (North America) View all subjects; More like this: Similar Items Swift, graceful flight, alternates slow, deep wing beats with short or long glides. Head, neck are dark brown. Zigzag flight on takeoff, followed by direct flight with rapid wing beats. It mainly feeds on small fish but will take a variety of foods. Head is large, glossy, and purple-black with golden yellow eyes and a crescent-shaped white patch behind a dark bill. Bill is black. Females are duller and browner, with a light area around the base of the bill. Orange-brown head and neck, and white mark between eye and bill; combination of prominent white rump, white wing bar, and pure white underwings is unique among the godwits. Sexes similar, juvenile dark morph has black-brown blotches, no white on throat. Medium length tail with slightly rounded tip. Dark tail is relatively short, broad, and slightly notched. It feeds on insects, plants and mollusks. Common Black Hawk: Large hawk, nearly all black with white patch just behind bill. The head has a white face, cap and black crest. Eyes are dark. Tail is dark and squared. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. They also provide public-use value through hunting, angling and other forms of wildlife-based recreation.” This water control system and habitat reconnection will improve the quality of habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife while also helping to alleviate flooding issues in the nearby community. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Red-necked Grebe: This large grebe has dark gray upperparts and cap, white lower face and nape, white underparts with gray flanks, red-brown neck and dark brown eyes. Sexes are similar. Feeds on insects and seeds. Direct flight is light and buoyant. Black Kite: Medium to large, long-winged raptor with gray-brown upperparts, and faint streaks on gray-brown underparts. Black undertail coverts. Feeds on insects, crustaceans, and invertebrates. Little Pied Cormorant: Small black and white cormorant with white underparts, face, and front. Dark wings have white shoulder patch visible in flight. The flight is labored and slow with dangling legs. Long, black bill with wide, spoon-shaped tip. The long thin bill, legs and feet are bright orange. Varied Thrush: Large thrush, dark gray upperparts, rust-brown throat, breast, sides, eyebrows, black breast band, and white belly and undertail. Underparts are gray-white. The head has a large white patch behind eye. It feeds on aquatic plant seeds, and insects, larvae and snails. Catches insects in flight. The female lacks ruff and is smaller than the male. The western Great Lakes region is among the most diverse in North America. The head is yellow with thin black eye line and olive-green nape. Strong direct flight on steady wing beats. Spotted Redshank: Large sandpiper, mostly black body in summer except for white rump, white spots on wings, barred tail. Feeds on aquatic plants. Tail is white with fine dark spotting at tip. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Project begins testing sewage for COVID-19 across Michigan Michigan is searching the state’s sewers for the virus that causes … Long, red and black legs, black feet. Bill, legs, feet are black. Trend data suggest that this may be the case for the past 15 to 20 years. Tree Swallow: Medium-sized swallow with iridescent blue-green upperparts and white underparts. Feeds on aquatic insects. Eastern Spot-billed Duck: Native of Asia, named for red spots at base of yellow-tipped black bill; subspecies occurring in North America generally lacks these spots. MiLBstore.com sells official merchandise on behalf of the Great Lakes Loons and all other Minor League Baseball clubs in an effort to offer you the most extensive online selection of team apparel, including jerseys, hats, t-shirts, … Smew: Small merganser, mostly white body except for black back, mask, breast bar, and V-shaped nape patch. Soars on thermals. Black flight feathers and short tail are visible in flight. Direct flight with rapid wing beats. White tail has black central stripe, gray edges. The sexes are similar. Harlequin Duck: Small diving duck, blue-gray upperparts and underparts, rust-brown flanks. Pale feather tips produce barring on flanks and upperparts. Dives to 40 feet, feeds primarily on shellfish. American Avocet: Long-legged shorebird with long, thin, upcurved bill and distinctive black-and-white back and sides. Black, straight, medium bill. Bill is dark with white tip, eyes are dark red. Slender neck is tawny brown and white with a few blue-gray stripes. Dark gray legs and feet. Eyebrows are thick and vary from pale yellow to white. MiLBstore.com sells official merchandise on behalf of the Great Lakes Loons and all other Minor League Baseball clubs in an effort to offer you the most extensive online selection of team apparel, including jerseys, hats, t-shirts, … Breeding bird monitoring programs were established in the former Nicolet National Forest and the Chequamegon National Forest in Wisconsin and the Chippewa and Superior National Forests in Minnesota. Piping plovers are tiny shorebirds that make shallow nests in the summer on flat, open, sandy beaches in northern Michigan – the same beaches that attract people, their pets and development. Legs and feet are yellow. Bronze-brown back and wings. The female has unstreaked blue-gray upperparts and a yellow wash on face and breast with pale streaks on flanks, and yellow eyebrows. Sexes are similar. Canvasback: This is a large, flashy diving duck with a pale gray body, black breast and tail and gray legs and feet. The legs are red-orange. Gray-white underwing. Golden-fronted Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker with black-and-white barred back and wings, white rump and black tail. Bill is pink with dark tip. The smallest North American swallow. Swift, erratic flight, alternating several shallow, rapid wing beats with short to long glides. Feeds mainly on small invertebrates such as midges and mayflies. Direct flight on rapid wing beats. White vent. Black bill, and yellow lores. Feeds primarily on insects, sometimes small fish. The legs and feet are pink. American Bittern: Medium, secretive, heron-like wading bird with stout body and neck, and relatively short legs. This is the only white egret with both a yellow bill and yellow legs. Eastern Screech-Owl Gray Morph: Small with gray-mottled upperparts, rows of white spots at shoulders, heavily streaked and barred underparts. The Great Lakes and connecting rivers are parts of several major flyways. Legs and feet are black. There are orange feathers on the face, the eyes are red, and the legs and feet are black. Iridescent throat patch can appear purple, green or black. Little Egret (Palau): Medium-sized, all white egret with plumes on head, breast, and back, black legs with yellow feet, black bill, and yellow lores. Bill is slightly upturned. Feeds on insects and crustaceans. Forages walking on ground and wading in water. Medium, red-pink bill with black tip. Sexes are similar. Blue-gray upperparts, rufous underparts, white underwing and undertail coverts, blue-gray head with ragged crest, long heavy black bill, white chin extends into a white collar. Until the 1980's thought to be a pale morph of the Western Grebe. It has a swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. Red-throated Pipit: Medium pipit, brown streaked upperparts, heavily streaked white underparts. MI Birds aims to bridge the divide, and increase and deepen the number of Michiganders engaged in the … Juvenile like non-breeding adult but orange-brown and black mottling on back. It mainly feeds on plants. White line divides green speculum and pale blue shoulder patch on wing. Direct flight. Undulating, with several rapid wingbeats and a pause. Feeds on fish, young gulls, ducks, seals, rabbits, rodents and carrion. Straight black bill. All-white wing appears as a white wing patch when folded. Difficult to distinguish from Snowy Egret. Underparts white but strongly suffused with orange wash, heavily barred and streaked with dark brown. Short dark bill with yellow-olive base. Soars on thermals and updrafts. Its blue-green speculum is bordered by white. It has a black bill with a yellow spot at the base and black legs and feet. The sexes are similar. Feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, seeds and vegetative plants. Canadian science writer Wayne Grady has written a great book about the Great Lakes. Red-necked Stint: This small sandpiper has mottled brown upperparts and streaked cap. The juvenile has rust-brown head and upper neck, and brown wash over mostly white body. Gray head has black ear patches, white eyebrows. It has a white face, black cap, and a thick, straight, yellow bill with a black tip. Broad white stripe extends from behind eye down back of neck. In 1986 there were only 17 nesting pairs of this endangered species remaining in the Great Lakes, and a federal … Nicolet National Forest Bird Survey volunteer sketching bird locations during a 10-minute point count. Strong direct flight, soars on thermals. It has a white head and yellow bill with a black ring near the tip. Collar and moustache stripe are white. The Ovenbird, Red-eyed Vireo and Nashville warbler were among the top 10 most abundant species found in these field surveys. Red-throated Loon: Small loon with scaled gray back and white underparts. Short to medium green-yellow bill with slightly hooked tip. Lesser Scaup: Medium-sized diving duck has finely barred gray back and gray-washed white underparts. The sexes appear similar. The bill and legs are yellow, and it has a red eyering. Feeds on small fish, insects and aquatic invertebrates. It hovers above water to search for prey such as crayfish and frogs. The head is chestnut-brown with a green ear patch, the bill is dark gray, and the legs and feet are olive-gray. Olive-sided Flycatcher: Large, heavy-billed flycatcher with dark olive-brown upperparts, streaked olive-brown sides, and white underparts. Red-kneed Dotterel: Small to medium plover. The diet includes aquatic insects and plants. Flies in straight line or V formation. Graceful, bouyant flight. Throat is white with faint brown necklace. Yellow eyes, bill is yellow or olive-green. Tail is long, black, and white-edged. Forages on ground, walking with tail cocked above back. Boreal Chickadee. It mostly feeds on submerged aquatic vegetation. Long hooked yellow-gray bill with yellow "v" shaped gular pouch edged in white. Intermediate Egret: Medium to large white heron with rounded head, orange-brown eyes, gray-green lores, and an orange-red bill. Chemicals not manufactured in the US for years or even decades still turn up in the bodies of migratory terns in the Great Lakes region, a new study finds. Arctic Loon: Medium loon with straight, stout bill, white-spotted black back, white flanks visible above water while swimming. Bill is very long, decurved. Red-breasted Merganser: This medium-sized diving duck has black upperparts, gray sides, rust-brown breast, white belly, green head, double crests and neck, and white neck ring. 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