Category: Birds, Fish and Animals
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Wolf-Moose Project
Michigan in the Great Lakes Wolf-Moose Project Have you heard of the Wolf-Moose Project on Michigan’s Isle Royale? This predator-prey study of wolves and moose began on Isle Royale in 1958 and consists, among other things, of counting the numbers of wolves and moose on the wilderness island from year to year, formulating hypotheses and…
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Purple Martins
Michigan in the Great Lakes Purple Martins Did you know that Purple Martins are swallows? Purple Martins are considered to be the largest swallow found in North America. These perching songbirds are known to be synanthropic in that they tend to live near and benefit from humans while remaining wild and undomesticated. In fact, many…
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Red-headed Woodpecker
Michigan in the Great Lakes Red-headed Woodpecker Did you know the male and female Red-headed Woodpecker look alike? Because of this, Red-headed Woodpeckers are known as monomorphic rather than dimorphic like most woodpeckers where the male and female appear different. Red-headed Woodpeckers have a red head, a black back and tail, and black and white…
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Painted Turtles
Michigan in the Great Lakes Painted Turtles Did you know that the Painted Turtle is the state reptile of Michigan? The Painted Turtle can be found in both the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan and was designated Michigan’s state reptile in 1995. Painted Turtles can often be found on logs in ponds basking in…
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Red-winged Blackbird
Michigan in the Great Lakes Red-winged Blackbird Did you know that Red-winged Blackbirds are some of the first birds to return to Michigan in the spring? They migrate south for the winter. The males usually return before the females and stake out territories. Red-winged Blackbirds are often found in marsh wetlands in Michigan, sometimes near…
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Northern Cardinals
Michigan in the Great Lakes Northern Cardinals Did you know that Northern Cardinals get their red color from the food they eat? Northern Cardinals are birds known to eat fruits and berries containing carotenoids which are pigments that cause their feathers to be red. They also eat seeds and insects. Northern Cardinals are prevalent in…
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Sandhill Cranes
Michigan in the Great Lakes Sandhill Cranes Have you ever seen a Sandhill Crane? It is a tall, slender bird found in marshes, swamps and other wetlands. It has long legs, a long neck and a grayish body with a distinctive red patch on the crown of its head. Most Sandhill Cranes in Michigan migrate…
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Lake Sturgeons
Michigan in the Great Lakes Lake Sturgeons Did you know that the largest fish in the Great Lakes is the Lake Sturgeon? It is found in large lake and river systems in the Great Lakes Basin. The Lake Sturgeon can grow to a length of more than six feet and reach a weight near two…
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Piping Plovers
Michigan in the Great Lakes Piping Plovers Have you ever seen a Piping Plover? The Piping Plover is a small, endangered shorebird with a white breast and sandy-brown feathers on its back and head. It is found in both the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, especially in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake…
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Herons
Michigan in the Great Lakes Herons Have you ever seen a Green Heron? Or maybe you’ve seen a blue one. There are green ones, too. Green Herons are smaller and stockier than the more often seen Great Blue Herons and have a shorter neck. Herons often wade or stand still in shallow water as they…
Terri Greening 