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List of birds of Michigan facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
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The American robin is the state bird of Michigan.

This article is a list of all the different kinds of birds that have been seen and recorded in Michigan. As of January 2023, there are 456 bird species on Michigan's official list!

Some of these birds live in Michigan all the time, while others visit only in summer or winter. Many are just passing through during their long migrations. This list only includes birds that naturally live or visit Michigan. It doesn't include birds that escaped from captivity and haven't made their own wild homes.

You'll see some special codes next to certain bird names. Here's what they mean:

  • A (Accidental) - These birds are very rare visitors. They've been seen fewer than four times in the last 10 years.
  • C (Casual) - These birds are also rare, but seen a bit more often. They've been recorded at least four times, but not more than 30 times, in the last 10 years.
  • I (Introduced) - These birds were brought to North America by people, and now they have wild populations here.
  • E (Extinct) - This means the bird species no longer exists anywhere in the world.
  • Ex (Extirpated) - This means the bird species no longer lives in Michigan, but it still exists in other places.

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

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Canada goose

These birds are part of the Anatidae family. This group includes ducks, geese, and swans. They are all made for living in water! They have webbed feet to help them swim, and their bills are flat for feeding in water. Their feathers are also great at shedding water because of special oils. Forty-four different kinds of these birds have been seen in Michigan.

New World Quail

These birds are small, plump, and live on the ground. They are called "New World" quails because they are found in North and South America. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

This family (Phasianidae) includes pheasants and grouse. They are ground-dwelling birds that vary in size. Many are hunted for sport or raised for food. Six species have been recorded in Michigan.

Grebes

Grebes are small to medium-sized diving birds that live in freshwater. They have special lobed toes that make them excellent swimmers and divers. However, their feet are set far back on their bodies, so they aren't very graceful on land! Five species have been recorded in Michigan.

Pigeons and Doves

Pigeons and doves are birds with sturdy bodies, short necks, and slender bills. Eight species have been recorded in Michigan.

Cuckoos

The cuckoo family (Cuculidae) includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds come in different sizes, but they usually have slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. Three species have been recorded in Michigan.

Nightjars and Allies

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Common nighthawk

Nightjars are medium-sized birds that are active at night. They usually build their nests on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Their soft feathers are colored to help them blend in with tree bark or leaves. Three species have been recorded in Michigan.

Swifts

Swifts are small birds that spend most of their lives flying! They have very short legs and almost never land on the ground. Instead, they perch on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long, swept-back wings that look like a crescent moon. Three species have been recorded in Michigan.

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are tiny birds famous for hovering in mid-air by flapping their wings super fast. They are the only birds that can fly backward! Eight species have been recorded in Michigan.

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

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American coot

This large family (Rallidae) includes rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Most of these birds live in thick plants near lakes, swamps, or rivers. They are usually shy and hard to spot. They have strong legs and long toes that help them walk on soft, uneven ground. They tend to have short, rounded wings and are not very strong fliers. Eight species have been recorded in Michigan.

Limpkin

The limpkin is a unique bird that looks like a large rail. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Cranes

Cranes are large birds with long legs and long necks. Unlike herons, which look similar, cranes fly with their necks stretched out. Most cranes have fancy and loud "dances" they do when looking for a mate. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Stilts and Avocets

This family (Recurvirostridae) includes avocets and stilts. They are large wading birds. Avocets have long legs and bills that curve upwards. Stilts have super long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Plovers and Lapwings

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Killdeer

This family (Charadriidae) includes plovers and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, pointed wings. They live in open areas all over the world, especially near water. Seven species have been recorded in Michigan.

Sandpipers and Allies

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Wilson's phalarope

This is a large and varied family (Scolopacidae) of small to medium-sized shorebirds. It includes sandpipers, curlews, godwits, and snipes. Most of these birds eat small bugs they find in mud or soil. Different bill and leg lengths allow many species to feed in the same places without fighting for food. Thirty-six species have been recorded in Michigan.

Skuas and Jaegers

Skuas and jaegers are medium to large birds, usually gray or brown. They look like big, dark gulls but have a fleshy area above their upper beak. They are strong, agile fliers. Three species have been recorded in Michigan.

Auks, Murres, and Puffins

This family (Alcidae) includes auks, murres, and puffins. These birds have short wings and live on the open sea. They only come to land for breeding. Three species have been recorded in Michigan.

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

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Ring-billed gull

The Laridae family includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. They are medium to large seabirds, usually gray or white with black markings. They have strong, longish bills and webbed feet. Thirty-one species have been recorded in Michigan.

Loons

Loons are water birds about the size of a large duck. They are mostly gray or black and have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim very well and fly okay, but they are clumsy on land because their legs are at the very back of their bodies. Four species have been recorded in Michigan.

Shearwaters and Petrels

These are medium-sized "true petrels" known for their unique nostrils and long outer wing feathers. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Storks

Storks are large, heavy wading birds with long legs, long necks, and strong bills. They have wide wings. Storks do not have a voice box, so they are mute. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Frigatebirds

Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are black, or black and white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have colorful throat pouches that they can inflate. They don't swim or walk well and can't take off from a flat surface. They have the largest wingspan compared to their body weight of any bird, allowing them to stay in the air for over a week! Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Boobies and Gannets

This group includes gannets and boobies. Both are medium-large coastal seabirds that dive into the water to catch fish. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

  • Northern gannet, Morus bassanus (A)

Anhingas

Anhingas are water birds that look like cormorants, but they have very long necks and long, straight beaks. They eat fish and often swim with only their neck above the water. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Cormorants and Shags

Cormorants are medium to large water birds, usually with dark feathers and colorful skin on their faces. Their bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. They have four webbed toes, which is a special feature among their bird group. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Pelicans

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American white pelican

Pelicans are very large water birds with a unique pouch under their beak. Like other birds in their group, they have four webbed toes. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

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Great blue heron

This family (Ardeidae) includes herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns usually have shorter necks and are more secretive. These birds fly with their necks pulled back, unlike storks or ibises. Twelve species have been recorded in Michigan.

Ibises and Spoonbills

This family (Threskiornithidae) includes ibises and spoonbills. They have long, wide wings and long bodies with long legs. Their bills are also long; ibises have bills that curve downwards, while spoonbills have straight, flat bills that look like spoons. Four species have been recorded in Michigan.

New World Vultures

New World vultures are not closely related to vultures from other parts of the world, but they look similar because they adapted to the same lifestyle. Like other vultures, they eat dead animals. Unlike Old World vultures, which find food by sight, New World vultures have a great sense of smell to find carcasses. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Osprey

The osprey is a unique bird of prey that eats fish. It has a very large, strong, hooked beak for tearing meat, strong legs, powerful claws, and excellent eyesight.

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

This family (Accipitridae) includes hawks, eagles, kites, and harriers. These birds of prey have very large, strong, hooked beaks for tearing meat from their prey. They also have strong legs, powerful claws, and keen eyesight. Fifteen species have been recorded in Michigan.

Barn-Owls

Barn-owls are medium to large owls with big heads and a special heart-shaped face. They have long, strong legs with powerful claws. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Owls

Typical owls are usually solitary birds of prey that are active at night. They have large eyes that face forward and good hearing. They also have a hawk-like beak and a clear circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. Eleven species have been recorded in Michigan.

Kingfishers

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and short tails. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues they use to catch insects. Many woodpeckers tap loudly on tree trunks with their beaks. Eleven species have been recorded in Michigan.

Falcons and Caracaras

This family (Falconidae) includes falcons and caracaras. They are birds of prey that are active during the day. They are different from hawks and eagles because they kill their prey with their beaks, not their claws. Six species have been recorded in Michigan.

Tyrant Flycatchers

Tyrant flycatchers are songbirds found throughout North and South America. They look a bit like Old World flycatchers but are stronger and have more powerful bills. Most of them are insect eaters. Twenty species have been recorded in Michigan.

Vireos

Vireos are small to medium-sized songbirds. They are usually greenish and look like wood warblers, but they have stronger bills. Nine species have been recorded in Michigan.

Shrikes

Shrikes are songbirds known for catching other birds and small animals. They sometimes impale the parts they don't eat on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

This family (Corvidae) includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. Corvids are larger than average songbirds, and some of the bigger species are very intelligent. Seven species have been recorded in Michigan.

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

The Paridae family includes small, sturdy woodland birds with short, strong bills. They are adaptable birds that eat a mix of seeds and insects. Four species have been recorded in Michigan.

Larks

Larks are small ground-dwelling birds known for their often fancy songs and display flights. Most larks are quite plain in color. They eat insects and seeds. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Swallows

The Hirundinidae family is made up of birds that are great at catching food while flying. They have slender bodies, long pointed wings, and short bills with wide mouths. Their feet are better for perching than walking. Eight species have been recorded in Michigan.

Kinglets

Kinglets are a small family of very tiny insect-eating birds. The adults have colorful crowns on their heads, which is how they got their name. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Waxwings

Waxwings are birds with soft, silky feathers and unique red tips on some of their wing feathers. These tips look like sealing wax, giving them their name. They are forest birds that eat insects in summer and berries in winter. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Nuthatches

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have a special ability to climb down trees headfirst, which most other birds can't do! Nuthatches have big heads, short tails, and strong bills and feet. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Treecreepers

Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown on top and white underneath. They have thin, pointed, down-curved bills that they use to pull insects out of tree bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which help them support themselves on vertical trees. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Gnatcatchers

These delicate birds look and act like Old World warblers, constantly moving through leaves to find insects. Gnatcatchers are mostly soft bluish-gray and have the typical long, sharp bill of an insect eater. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Wrens

Wrens are small and often hard to see birds, but they have very loud songs! They have short wings and thin, down-curved bills. Many species hold their tails straight up. All wrens eat insects. Seven species have been recorded in Michigan.

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

The Mimidae family includes thrashers, mockingbirds, and catbirds. These birds are famous for their amazing songs and their ability to copy many different bird calls and other sounds. They are usually dull gray and brown. Four species have been recorded in Michigan.

Starlings

Starlings are small to medium-sized songbirds with strong feet. They fly strongly and directly and often gather in large groups. They prefer open areas and eat insects and fruit. Their feathers are usually dark with a metallic shine. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Thrushes and Allies

Thrushes are a group of songbirds that are plump and have soft feathers. They are small to medium-sized birds that eat insects or sometimes everything (omnivores), often finding food on the ground. Many have beautiful songs. Ten species have been recorded in Michigan.

Old World Flycatchers

Old World flycatchers are a large family of small songbirds. These are mostly small birds that live in trees and eat insects, often catching them in the air. One species has been recorded in Michigan.

Old World Sparrows

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House sparrow

Old World sparrows are small songbirds. Generally, sparrows are small, plump, brownish or grayish birds with short tails and strong, short beaks. Sparrows eat seeds, but they also eat small insects. Two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Wagtails and Pipits

This family (Motacillidae) includes wagtails and pipits. They are small songbirds with medium to long tails. They are slender birds that find insects on the ground in open areas. Three species have been recorded in Michigan.

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

Finches are songbirds that eat seeds. They are small to medium-sized and have strong, often cone-shaped beaks. They have a bouncy flight pattern, flapping and then gliding with closed wings. Most finches sing well. Twelve species have been recorded in Michigan.

Longspurs and Snow Buntings

This group of songbirds (Calcariidae) used to be grouped with New World sparrows, but they are different in many ways. They are usually found in open grassy areas. Five species have been recorded in Michigan.

New World Sparrows

These birds were once considered part of another family, but in 2017 they got their own family (Passerellidae). Most of these species are called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the Old World sparrows. Many have unique patterns on their heads. Twenty-nine species have been recorded in Michigan.

Yellow-breasted Chat

This bird was once thought to be a wood-warbler, but in 2017, scientists decided it was unique enough to have its very own family.

Troupials and Allies

This group (Icteridae) includes grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. They are small to medium-sized, often colorful songbirds found only in North and South America. Most species are mainly black, sometimes with bright yellow, orange, or red colors. Fifteen species have been recorded in Michigan.

New World Warblers

The wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful songbirds found only in North and South America. Most live in trees, but some, like the ovenbird, live more on the ground. Most birds in this family eat insects. Forty-two species have been recorded in Michigan.

Cardinals and Allies

Cardinals are a family of strong, seed-eating birds with powerful bills. They usually live in open woodlands. The males and females often have different colored feathers. Twelve species have been recorded in Michigan.

See also

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List of birds of Michigan Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.