Michigan Audubon’s Bird Sanctuaries
Michigan Audubon owns a collection of properties, called bird sanctuaries, in both the upper and lower peninsulas. The network consists of 20 sanctuary properties that total nearly 4,000 acres combined. The habitats we protect and steward include rivers, lakes, marshes, bogs, fens, grasslands, hardwoods, and northern conifer forests. Each property plays a critical role in protecting Michigan native plants and animals, including endangered and threatened species. See a map of our sanctuaries and a full list at the bottom of the page.
Our Sanctuary Network Vision
The vision of Michigan Audubon’s bird sanctuary network is to aid in the collective, collaborative preservation of native biological diversity and to secure the future of avian species and their habitats throughout the state of Michigan.
We abide by ecological best practices in our restorative management approach and utilize the organization’s three pillars of Conservation, Education, and Research to meet our mission of connecting birds and people for the benefit of both at our 20 bird sanctuaries. Some of our sanctuaries are open to the public and others are maintained as habitat for at-risk species, such as the Cerulean Warbler, Eastern massasagua rattlesnake, Piping Plover, grassland birds, and avian aerial insectivores.
We envision the realm of outdoor recreation, including birding, wildlife observation, hiking, and other non-consumptive activities, as a community that contributes and supports the protection, preservation, and appreciation of avian species and their native places while inspiring others to do the same.
Land Acknowledgement Statement
Before Michigan Audubon purchased or received via donation the acreage that now comprises our network of bird and nature sanctuaries throughout the state, we wholly acknowledge that this land is the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg–Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi–Indigenous peoples.
Michigan Audubon supports and actively advocates, through collaborative programs and projects involving wildlife and land conservation, for the sovereignty of Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and for those who were forcibly removed from their homeland. By offering this Land Acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty and hold our organizational policies and practices more accountable to the needs of American Indian and Indigenous peoples.
We honor the Anishinaabe and Indigenous Peoples’ connection to this region, to the land itself, and to the balance, harmony, and intrinsic value of the living ecosystem. We offer an abundance of gratitude for the cherished opportunity to conserve these properties in perpetuity, and to care for them with respect, integrity, and best practices. ​​
Michigan Audubon’s properties are managed, restored, and stewarded with land preservation and ecological health and balance as top priorities. For your enjoyment, many of our sanctuaries are also multi-use areas that are open to the public on a year-round basis. Sanctuaries are open from dawn to dusk for “treading lightly” outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, nature study, bird watching, and cross-country skiing.
Please note that not all sanctuaries have the same amenities and some are not accessible to the public. Please see the description of each sanctuary for more details on what you can expect when visiting.
Consider supporting Michigan Audubon bird sanctuaries with a donation today!
The Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary is North America’s first bird sanctuary dedicated to the conservation of Sandhill Cranes. Baker Sanctuary spans approximately 980 acres in Calhoun County, making it the second largest property owned and managed by Michigan Audubon. The sanctuary is best known as a refuge for nesting and migrating Sandhill Cranes. Baker’s centerpiece habitat is the 200-acre Big Marsh Lake, a restored wetland flooding. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded here.
The Meadow and Marshland Trail, accessible from 15 Mile Road between T Drive North and Q Drive North, was established in the spring of 1996 for hiking, cross country skiing, and nature observation. The trail is a mowed during the summer and is easy to navigate. Throughout the spring and summer, an abundance of wildflowers and the fauna they attract can be found. Deer, turkey, fox, coyote, hawks, frogs, turtles, butterflies, bluebirds and other species frequent the area surrounding the trail.
Habitats at Baker Sanctuary include ponds, streams, cattail marsh, tamarack swamp, oak opening, floodplain forest, wet meadow, and ongoing prairie and wetland restoration projects. Notable birds include Bald Eagle, Osprey, Northern Harrier, migrating waterfowl, and diverse warblers.
Located in a major migratory flyway, this 394-acre sanctuary in Keweenaw County is entirely wooded with a mixture of northern conifers and hardwoods. Its highest point is along Brockway Ridge which is easily accessible by Brockway Drive. Views are spectacular and birdlife includes migrating birds of prey such as Broad-winged and Sharp-shinned Hawks and the occasional Golden Eagle. Twinflower, many orchids, plants of rock outcroppings and wet forest are found here. Amenities: Parking. Maintained Trails. Overlook. No Restrooms.
Located on the banks of the Grand River in Delta Township near Lansing, this 63-acre property is an oasis of habitat in an expanding suburban area that attracts spring and fall migrating warblers. Walking paths lead through grasslands, shrub habitats, and along the Grand River. The sanctuary is adjacent to Hawk Meadow, a Delta Township park, whose land was also donated by Michigan Audubon benefactor, Carl Haussman.
Amenities: 1.8 miles of easy, mowed hiking trails. Parking available at Hawk Meadow; walk across the street for kiosk and main trail head. Demonstration native bird garden. Nest box trail.
Davis Bog Sanctuary is an 80-acre bird sanctuary that is mostly composed of Duck Lake and its surrounding swamp lands. Although there are no maintained trails, you can explore the swamp on the northeast end of the property between the snowmobile trail and the lake. The habitat is cedar swamp with bog plants like Pitcher Plant and Sundew. Notable birds include migrating waterfowl in the spring and fall, and typical bog birds like White-throated Sparrow.
Amenities: Parking. No trails.
Although bisected by a busy country road, this 53-acre sanctuary in Jackson County is home to a mature hardwood forest that nestles Sandstone Creek. Biotic communities include upland and lowland deciduous woods, a grove of large Eastern White Pines, and a marsh with natural springs that flow into Sandstone Creek. This is one of the richest woodlands in Jackson County for spring wildflowers. Two champion trees of Jackson County, American Hornbeam and Shingle Oak, grow here. A host of birds frequent the area. Volunteers recently constructed a boardwalk and woodland hiking trail.
Amenities: Parking. Maintained trails. No Restrooms.
Kate Palmer Sanctuary Website Maintained by the Kate Palmer Stewardship Committee.
This is an entirely wooded 405-acre sanctuary in Keweenaw County. The low area immediately adjacent to the parking area is cedar swamp but it is usually dry and passable using the hiking trail. The trail traverses a steep incline through a hardwood forest to a precipice overlooking the area. Migrating birds of prey are especially abundant in the spring. Likely sightings include Broad-winged Hawk, Sharp-Shinned Hawk, and the occasional Peregrine Falcon or Bald Eagle.
Amenities: Parking. Maintained Trails.
In 1988, the Michigan Audubon Society received as a gift the M.E. and Gertrude Gray home and property, which later became Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary.  Atop an 100- foot-high bluff overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan, Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary boasts over 1,700 feet of Lake Michigan frontage on its 75 acres located just north of Manistee, MI. Originally landscaped as an arboretum, many notable specimens have been preserved on the grounds surrounding the home such as California Redwood, Ginkgo, and two Michigan Champion Trees, a Giant Sequoia and a Sycamore Maple. Over 170 different types of birds have been seen on the property, there are many resident woodpeckers, and eagles are frequently seen flying up the beach or perching in the trees along the shore. Lake Bluff is a quiet place; one that most people find relaxing due to its serene natural habitat.
The grounds at Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary are open to the public year-round, every day from dawn until dusk. No appointment is necessary; just stop by, park your vehicle and begin to explore the natural beauty of this jewel on Lake Michigan’s shore.
Lake Bluff is a great place to stop and visit, hike, bird-watch, go to the beach, have a picnic, or just plain relax. See the list below for other ways you might enjoy the property:
- Maintained Trails: Two miles of hiking trails offer stunning views. It’s not unusual to spot white-tailed deer along the trails. Hike through mature forest or around the property and to the beach.
- Beach Access:  Visitors have easy access to Lake Michigan’s beautiful, sandy shoreline for beach walks, sunbathing, swimming and other water activities.
Parking is ample and restrooms are available. Lake Bluff is a smoke-free and pet-free environment.
This 40-acre, landlocked sanctuary is within the Whitefish Point Global Important Bird Area. An upland ridge forested with Balsam fir, birch, Red Maple and White Pine, traverses the southwest corner of the property. Approaching the shore of Little Lake, northeast from the ridge, the land abruptly transitions to Tag Alder and then to a mixed shrub/bog and an open bog with Tamarack. The transition zone of the shrub/bog habitat supports the richest diversity of migrating birds on the Whitefish Peninsula.
Amenities: Access by appointment only.
The 40-acre Margaret Shroyer Sanctuary is in the Whitefish Point Important Bird Area, a globally significant site designated as a migration stop over for Red-necked Grebes. Most of the area is Jack Pine dominated forest interspersed with seasonally flooded wetlands. This sanctuary is landlocked and there is no access.
Amenities: Access by appointment only
A former farmstead and woodlot, this 80-acre sanctuary consists of Dry-Mesic Forest, Old Fields, and Shrub Swamp. Restoration efforts are underway to restore sections of this sanctuary to Oak Savanna. Cuckoos can be heard in the forest during the breeding season, Eastern Bluebirds are a staple of the Old Fields, and migrating warblers can be found along the edge of the Shrub Swamp. Two loop trails meander through the property.
Amenities: Parking. Single-Track Trails. No Restrooms. No Benches.
This 40-acre sanctuary northwest of Kalamazoo has a mature Beech-Maple forest that in all likelihood has not been logged. The understory and groundcover are diverse with spring ephemerals and shrubs. Trout Lily, Toothwort, Spring Beauty, Dutchman’s Breeches, Squirrel Corn, Blue Cohosh, violets, Wild Leek, Trillium, Mayapple and more. The local Audubon club has an aggressive invasive species removal program working to rid the sanctuary of Multiflora Rose and Garlic Mustard. The sanctuary isn’t all mature forest, it has a fallow field where the occasional Eastern Meadowlark or Henslow’s Sparrow is seen and heard. A trail system is being considered.
Amenities: No Parking. No Trails.
Otis Farm Bird Sanctuary is adjacent to the Globally Important Bird Area, Barry State Game Area, which is recognized for providing critical breeding habitat for Cerulean Warblers. The 128-acre bird sanctuary hosts rolling fields, mature forest, expansive marshland, a stream, kettle hole marshes, and several springs. Notable bird species at the sanctuary include Pileated Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, warblers, Bald Eagle, Osprey, and Sandhill Crane.
Otis Farm Bird Sanctuary is located at 3560 Havens Rd., Hastings, MI 49058. A parking area is accessible from spring until fall, depending on ground conditions. Michigan Audubon members may launch kayaks and canoes on Glass Creek using a small launch.
The Owashtanong Islands Sanctuary is one island and part of another which is part of a complement of islands and shoreline wetlands in the lower Grand River. Wetland birds nest and migrate through the area.
Amenities: No Parking. No Trails. No Restrooms. Access by Appointment Only.
Michigan Audubon’s largest bird sanctuary is located in Jackson County bordering the Waterloo Recreation Area. At 1,008 acres, it is known to attract thousands of migrating Sandhill Cranes every fall. However, the diversity of animal and plant life includes over 270 plant species and 200 species of birds. Benches on a hill overlooking Mud Lake Marsh provide an ideal location for viewing large numbers of cranes in October and early November. A restored wetland and grassland demonstration area at the west side of the sanctuary is accessed from Wooster Rd. Public access to the marsh is restricted.
Amenities: Parking, Maintained Trails, Seasonal Restrooms (fall only), Handicap Accessible Viewing Area, Information Kiosk.
Haehnle Sanctuary Website Maintained by the Haehnle Stewardship Committee
Riverbank Sanctuary is a 23-acre sanctuary on the shore of the Indian River just outside of Manistique. Mostly, it is pine forest but there are areas of black spruce swamp, wetlands along the river, and shrub swamp. Although this is found in a residential community, there is plenty of wilderness nearby and some wild species have been sighted here such as Common Loon, Pileated Woodpecker, Black Bear, and American Beaver.
Amenities: Parking. Maintained trail. No Restrooms.
Located in an area of glacial moraines, this sanctuary contains rounded ridges, seasonally flooded ponds, a stream, and lake. Most of the 108 acres is wooded and contains old-growth beech, oak and tulip trees. Large evergreens provide additional woodland habitat. The sanctuary is botanically quite diverse and includes a number of threatened and endangered plants. The sanctuary is adjacent to the Barry State Game Area Global Important Bird Area and is home to breeding forest birds such as Acadian Flycatchers, Ovenbirds, Scarlet Tanagers, and Yellow-billed Cuckoos.
Amenities: Parking. Maintained Trails. No Restrooms.
This 35-acre sanctuary is a fine example of a Beech-Maple woodlot with a delightful profusion of spring wildflowers. It is home to forest birds such as Red-eyed Vireos, various Woodpeckers, and Acadian Flycatcher.
Amenities: Parking. 1 mile of maintained trails. No Restrooms.
This is a 240-acre prime sphagnum bog on the edge of a large glacial outwash containing a marsh. White Cedar, Osiers, Viburnums, Willow and Northern Bush Honeysuckle form dense growth. Labrador Tea, Bog Laurel, Sweet Gale and various bog orchids are abundant. The sanctuary and surrounding areas provide prime habitat for nesting Sandhill Cranes, Spruce Grouse, Solitary Vireos, Northern Parula Warblers, Boreal Chickadees, Sedge Wrens and Gray Jays.
Amenities: No Parking, No Trails. Both under consideration.
Habitat Restoration
Michigan Audubon, with financial support from private, state, and federal agencies, is actively engaged in habitat improvement projects at the Haehnle, Baker, and Otis sanctuaries. To learn more about these ongoing projects to restore grassland and wetland habitats for birds like Henslow’s Sparrow and Sandhill Cranes, please visit our blog and subscribe to our email newsletter.
Volunteer Sanctuary Stewards
Michigan Audubon relies upon dedicated volunteer stewards to maintain the sanctuaries. These tasks range depending on stewards’ interests but may include trail maintenance, biological monitoring, invasive plant removal, and fundraising. If there is a sanctuary that you care about and you would like to learn more about becoming a volunteer steward, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the Michigan Audubon office.
Michigan Audubon Society Property Rules and Hunting Policy
PERMITTED ACTIVITIES
We welcome and encourage educational and low-impact, recreational use of the sanctuaries and ask our guests to be mindful they are visiting the homes of the plants and animals whose lives depend on the land’s protection and health.
If you would like to lead a group hike on one of our preserves, please contact us to make sure that the date is open and there are no conflicting uses on the site.
These preserves are multi-use areas open to the public on a year-round basis for such activities as hiking, nature study, bird watching, and cross-country skiing.
Please note, parking is only allowed on designated parking areas and within the right of way of a maintained road such that no vegetation is harmed.
PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES*
- Hunting, fishing, and trapping are strictly prohibited in accordance with state and federal regulations*.
- Motorized vehicles, camping, and open or contained fires are prohibited on Michigan Audubon sanctuaries.
- Dumping and littering.
- The use of off-road vehicles and snowmobiles.
- Cutting of lanes, cutting or destruction of brush, trees, or other plants for any purpose is prohibited.
- The release of live animals on sanctuary grounds is prohibited.
- The use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones).
Please contact Michigan Audubon at 517-580-7364 if you notice a maintenance need or witness an inappropriate activity taking place on a preserve.
*HUNTING CONSIDERATIONS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS
Michigan Audubon has rules and use guidelines specific to certain sanctuaries; please see the map of our sanctuaries at michiganaudubon.org.
Michigan Audubon reserves the right to deny or revoke permissions and make conservation-based decisions regarding hunting at its sole discretion.
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