Audubon Great Lakes

Audubon Great Lakes Regional office of National Audubon Society, protecting birds in the Great Lakes

Audubon Great Lakes strives to conserve and restore the habitats we share with all wildlife, focusing on the needs of birds.

06/01/2026

This video, taken at the Biggest Week in American Birding festival, captures a Black-necked Stilt in action through a scope!

Black-necked Stilts are delicate shorebirds who thrive around shallow lakes, known for their long thin coral-pink legs, slender bill, and bold black-and-white coloring. Their call is a sharp “kip-kip-kip-kip!”

📷 Black-necked Stilt. Video: Ivy Gilbert/Audubon Great Lakes.

05/29/2026

This , hear from Stephanie Beilke, Senior Manager of Conservation Science at Audubon Great Lakes, who recently led bird banding at the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival!

During migrations, birds rely on Great Lakes habitats—like stations on a marathon route—to rest and refuel. When banded birds are later found or recaptured, the bands can help us learn where they travel, so we can better protect them and the habitats they need.

Note: Bird banding is conducted by trained, permitted experts who prioritize the health and safety of each bird.

Sunshine, grasslands, breakfast and birdwatching—what could be better? This weekend, join Glacierland RC&D for Breakfast...
05/28/2026

Sunshine, grasslands, breakfast and birdwatching—what could be better?

This weekend, join Glacierland RC&D for Breakfast with the Birds in Jefferson, Wisconsin! At the event, hear from Tom Prestby, Wisconsin Conservation Manager with Audubon Great Lakes.

Tom oversees Audubon’s on-the-ground bird conservation work in Wisconsin, including Audubon's Conservation Ranching program. He has over 20 years of bird monitoring experience, including with grassland birds like the Bobolink, Henslow's Sparrow, and Greater Prairie-Chicken!

Scan the QR code or register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/breakfast-with-the-birds-tickets-1988004657446

Do you know why these stunning birds are called Wood Ducks? It’s because they prefer to nest in the hollows of trees, of...
05/28/2026

Do you know why these stunning birds are called Wood Ducks?

It’s because they prefer to nest in the hollows of trees, often those created by Pileated Woodpeckers or fallen tree branches, though they will also happily use wooden nest boxes.

In some regions, Wood Ducks are also known as Swamp Ducks for their habitat preferences and Squealer Ducks for the toy-like squeaks audible in their calls.

Their scientific name—Aix sponsa—loosely translates to “bridal duck” because of the male's incredible coloring, appearing well-dressed as if for a wedding!

📷 Wood Duck. Photo: Georgia Wilson/Audubon Photography Awards.

Did you know that the Common Loon is not only an icon of the northern lakes, but also an indicator of aquatic health? Th...
05/26/2026

Did you know that the Common Loon is not only an icon of the northern lakes, but also an indicator of aquatic health?

These long-bodied divers, with their haunting, yodeling calls, are sensitive to pollution and habitat deterioration in the Great Lakes region and beyond. With their mostly-fish-based diet, they need both healthy fish populations and clean water to survive.

Many bird species are similar, powerful indicators of ecosystem health, providing scientists with invaluable information about the state of nature and how to best move forward with conservation solutions. Birds need us, but we need birds, too.

Find out how you can get involved with Audubon Great Lakes bird conservation today: https://www.audubon.org/great-lakes/get-involved

📷 These photos were taken in northern Michigan near Traverse City, at Arbutus Lake, by photographer David Endicott.

During courtship, the male Baltimore Oriole faces the female, stretches upright, and then bows deeply with tail spread a...
05/24/2026

During courtship, the male Baltimore Oriole faces the female, stretches upright, and then bows deeply with tail spread and wings partly open!

It's breeding season, and the Baltimore Oriole is here in the Great Lakes region. One of the most brilliantly colored songbirds of the east, the males' flaming orange and black markings are unlike any other bird in this part of North America. Female Baltimore Orioles are brown on top, tinged orange below, have white wing-bars and variable black head coloring.

Have you seen a Baltimore Oriole near you recently? Let us know in the comments!

📷 Baltimore Oriole. Photos: Sandra Rothenberg/Audubon Photography Awards, Deborah Bifulco/Audubon Photography Awards, Randy Barba/Audubon Photography Awards, Andy Raupp/Audubon Photography Awards, Anthony Goldman/Audubon Photography Awards.

It’s ! Birding often focuses more on male birds, due to their flashier coloring. But a recent Audubon study found that ...
05/23/2026

It’s !

Birding often focuses more on male birds, due to their flashier coloring. But a recent Audubon study found that identifying female birds is just as important, and leaving them out can lead to invalid research conclusions.

How can you support bird conservation? Learn how to ID female birds!
Improving identification and observation of female birds can help scientists conserve birds and their habitats more broadly.

This weekend, try challenging yourself to focus solely on female birds, using ID clues such as behavior and vocalizations. And if you spot any female birds, let us know in the comments!

What's it like to be a marsh bird volunteer? Swipe for some snapshots from the field! 📸🌿 Volunteers often head out to th...
05/22/2026

What's it like to be a marsh bird volunteer? Swipe for some snapshots from the field! 📸🌿

Volunteers often head out to the marsh at the crack of dawn to listen for the calls of secretive species like the Virginia Rail, which prefer to stay hidden. Conditions tend to be wet and muddy, but beautiful, with native plant species in bloom and birdsong all around.

Every field season, we work with dedicated volunteers across the region to gather data on marsh bird species. Understanding which species are where, and how their populations are changing, is critical to developing effective conservation planning.

These photos were taken at Indian Ridge Marsh, one of the sites that Audubon Great Lakes has worked alongside partners to restore in the Calumet region near Chicago.

📷 Photos: Vera Leopold/The Wetlands Initiative.

After a long wait, we have our second Great Lakes Piping Plover nest of the season in Green Bay! 🎉The male (pictured) is...
05/20/2026

After a long wait, we have our second Great Lakes Piping Plover nest of the season in Green Bay! 🎉

The male (pictured) is Mowgli, who hatched in 2022 and has already fledged an impressive eight chicks in his first three breeding seasons. The female is Bee Gee, who was captively reared and released at the site in 2023. And yes — her name is inspired by both her blue/green band combination and her knack for “stayin’ alive”!

This pair bred together for the first time last year and successfully fledged all four of their chicks. Here’s hoping for another successful season ahead for this incredible duo!

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Great Lakes Piping Plover Recovery Effort

Last week, Wisconsin State Representative Paul Melotik (R-Grafton) joined us and Milwaukee Audubon Society for a bird ou...
05/19/2026

Last week, Wisconsin State Representative Paul Melotik (R-Grafton) joined us and Milwaukee Audubon Society for a bird outing at Cedarburg Bog in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin!

One of the largest and most diverse wetlands in southern Wisconsin, Cedarburg Bog supports an array of habitats, including hardwood swamps and bog lakes. We saw a variety of colorful spring migrating birds there, including the Chestnut-sided Warbler and Common Yellowthroat!

Thank you, Rep. Melotik, for birdwatching with us!

📷 From left to right in group photo: WI State Rep. Paul Melotik (R-Grafton), Wendy Melotik, Mitch Greenberg (Audubon Great Lakes, Jan Marsh (Milwaukee Audubon). Photo: Audubon Great Lakes.

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