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Learn the birds of Michigan

72 birds in 12 short units, from your backyard to Great Lakes shores, northwoods, dunes and farmland. By sight, sound and story, with real photos and recordings.

Learn the birds of MichiganTry a question first
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A few you’ll meet first

The course

Each unit is a small group of birds, easiest first, with look-alikes kept apart. Meet them, learn them by sight, sound and story, then finish with a Field test. The units get harder as you go.

Michigan Essentials

  1. Unit 1: Gentle startWild Turkey, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Red-winged Blackbird, American Robin and Mallard
  2. Unit 2: Gentle startSandhill Crane, American Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Mute Swan and Black-capped Chickadee
  3. Unit 3: Gentle startGreat Blue Heron, Canada Goose, White-breasted Nuthatch, Song Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Baltimore Oriole
  4. Unit 4: Building upTrumpeter Swan, House Sparrow, Ring-billed Gull, Pileated Woodpecker, Common Grackle, Great Egret and Eastern Bluebird
  5. Unit 5: Building upHouse Finch, Common Merganser, Northern Flicker, Bald Eagle and Turkey Vulture
  6. Unit 6: Building upDark-eyed Junco, Wood Duck, Killdeer, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Red-tailed Hawk

Beyond the Basics

  1. Unit 7: SteadyCedar Waxwing, Tufted Titmouse, European Starling, Green Heron, American Herring Gull and Eastern Kingbird
  2. Unit 8: SteadyAmerican Crow, Double-crested Cormorant, American Redstart, Gray Catbird, Red-breasted Merganser, Brown-headed Cowbird, Belted Kingfisher and White-throated Sparrow
  3. Unit 9: SteadyCommon Loon, Hooded Merganser, Tree Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Eastern Phoebe and Hairy Woodpecker
  4. Unit 10: HardestBufflehead, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Yellow Warbler, Chipping Sparrow and Barn Swallow
  5. Unit 11: HardestIndigo Bunting, Barred Owl, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-eyed Vireo, American Tree Sparrow and Osprey
  6. Unit 12: HardestCommon Goldeneye, Red-headed Woodpecker, Cooper’s Hawk, Common Yellowthroat and White-crowned Sparrow
Start the Michigan course

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