Michigan Breeding Bird Survey

by Marlin Bussey
former SBTH President
November 2007

In September, a four-year survey of Michigan’s nesting birds came to a close. With help from my wife, Pat, Jim and Kay Charter, and numerous others, the canvassing results from our Omena area have been completed, summarized, and now turned in for this final year. The last survey, completed in 1988, resulted in a large 594-page atlas showing specifically where all 215 species of Michigan birds nested. It has been 20 years, so it was time to repeat the effort and see what changes might be occurring.

This well-organized project, headed by the Kalamazoo Nature Center, was coordinated locally by Bob Carstens. Additional funding came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan DNR Non-Game Wildlife Fund, Rouge River Bird Observatory, Arcus Foundation, and Michigan Audubon.

My assigned area was Block 4 in Leelanau Township, nine square miles encompassing Omena and the surrounding area. Also covered was Gull Island (Bellows Island) in Grand Traverse Bay in Block 1. Nesting was recorded for four categories: Confirmed, Probable, Possible, and Observation. Each of these required different levels of nesting evidence as specified in the rules. Results were logged daily, finally tabulated, and then entered on “quadrifolds.” Additional Casual Bird Observation cards were included for nesting birds outside the assigned area and for “special interest” birds such as threatened or endangered species. Entries consisted of the date, nesting evidence code, and number of nesting pairs.

So what did we find over the four-year period? Total “nesting” species was 129. Of these, 85 were Confirmed and 31 Probables. The remainder were Possibles or Observed, which includes birds found in suitable nesting habitat but with no evidence of nesting.

Of course we do see many additional species that do not nest here but are on their way north or south during migration. While we were excited to see the Northern Parula and Red-necked Grebe, these are not listed as nesters. I am also aware that we have other nesting species here we did not see during the survey. These include most of the hawks and owls, and surely a number of species that come out primarily at night. For me, these need to remain as a future challenge.

This has been an engaging project as I learned to be more cognizant of nesting, courting, and protective display behavior, and also of fledgling plumages and their antics. The specific time of the year individual species nest is also of interest. The mother Canada Goose at our waterfront was on eggs in mid-March while our American Goldfinches did not fledge until September.

Nesting birds listed as Confirmed or Probable, of course, include many species that we commonly see. These include the Bluebird, Robin, Song Sparrow, Eastern Phoebe, Cardinal, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Purple Martin, and many others.

Nesters listed that are not so common, at least for me, included the Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Wood Duck, Raven, Sandhill Crane, Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Scarlet Tanager, Bobolink, Cedar Waxwing, Mockingbird, American Coot, Bank Swallow, Woodcock, and several species of warblers. Nesting for Grasshopper Sparrow, Common Loon, Caspian Tern, Bald Eagle, and Northern Goshawk required documenting the location, as these are birds of “special interest.”

We are eager to see the new atlas published—probably in a year or so. It will show where all the Michigan species are now nesting. When last published, there were few nesting species shown for Leelanau County. Thanks to the efforts of our local volunteer birders, we will now be well represented on the maps.