Stories from - MICHIGAN
View All Stories
Bands Tell the Story of Piping Plover Travels
From the sunny beaches of Cuba to the wind-whipped shoreline of Lake Michigan, the travels of endangered Great Lakes piping plovers are chronicled through the observation of leg bands. Using unique color combinations of leg bands, researchers can identify ... Read More
Stories from - MICHIGAN
View All StoriesThe Remarkable Recovery of the Kirtland's Warbler
Forty years ago, the Kirtland's warbler was on the brink of extinction. Today, this lively songbird of northern Michigan's jack pine forests is the subject of a great recovery story... Read More
Stories from - MICHIGAN
View All StoriesKirtland's Warblers Rebound
One hundred sixty-seven—that's the total number of male Kirtland's warblers (Dendroica kirtlandii) found in 1974, just after the Endangered Species Act was signed into law... Read More
Featured Species in Michigan
Canada lynx
While their name suggests otherwise, the historic range of Canada lynx extended across the border into northern parts of the contiguous United States from Washington to Maine and down into the Rocky Mountains. More »
Canada lynx.
Photo credit: Michael Zahra
Kirtland's warbler
The Kirtland's warbler, an endangered species, is a songbird that nests in young jack pine stands. Until 1995 Kirtland's warblers had only been known to nest in the northern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Today, they also nest in the Upper Peninsula, and since 2007, have nested in Wisconsin and Canada.
Kirtland's warbler.
Photo credit: Pam Wells
Great Lakes piping plover
The Great Lakes population of the piping plover was at a perilously low level. But intensive conservation efforts have seen the number of breeding pairs steadily climb from a low of 12 in 1983. More »
Great Lakes piping plover.
Photo credit: USFWS
Karner blue butterfly
The Karner blue is a small blue insects with a wingspan of about one inch. Habitat throughout the range of the Karner blue has been lost through human activity to suppress wildfire, cultivate forests and develop communities. More »
Karner blue butterfly.
Photo credit: USFWS
Partnership Stories in Michigan
Kirtland's Warbler Tour
The Kirtland's warbler, an endangered species, is a songbird that nests in young jack pine stands. Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Michigan Audubon Society jointly conduct guided tours from May through July. More »
Found in Michigan
-
Michigan monkey-flowers (Mimulus michiganensis) are endemic, or confined, to northern Michigan. This rare species is semi-aquatic, meaning it can live in wet or dry soil, but it flourishes in mucky soil and sand that is saturated or covered by cold, flowing spring water. Recreational and residential development pose the greatest threat to species.
Photo credit: Jody Marquis of Mama Bear Restorations, Inc -
Karner blue butterflies (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) are small butterflies that lives in oak savannas and pine barren ecosystems. Wild blue lupine is the only food plant for the Karner caterpillar. Habitat throughout the butterfly's range of the has been lost as a result of land development and lack of natural disturbance, such as wildfire and grazing by large mammals, which help maintain the butterfly's habitat by setting back encroaching forests and encouraging lupine growth.
Photo credit: by Joel Trick, USFWS