9 Michigan birding trails for seeing rare winter birds
Updated Jan 25, 2021;
Don’t put down your birdwatching binoculars just because winter has arrived.
While many of our summer birds have flown south to warmer places this time of year, Michigan is, in fact, a balmy winter destination for birds who usually spend their summers much father north.
So when winter wraps its chilly arms around our state, it ushers in its own special season for birdwatching, starring birds like the enchanting snowy owl and boisterous winter finches who arrive from the boreal forests in search of food and fairer weather.
Depending on the bird, don’t necessarily expect to see these beauties at your backyard feeder. Rarities might require a special trip to the kind of places they prefer — but in that way, birding can become a sort of treasure hunt, and a wonderful reason to plan a winter escape.