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Bird Conservation
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Important Bird Areas
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MICHIGAN'S IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS PROGRAM
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Visit our Michigan IBA Blog and website!Michigan IBA Program OverviewThe Michigan Important Bird Areas Program officially began in March 2006 with the hiring of a coordinator by four managing partners: Audubon, Detroit Audubon Society, Kalamazoo Nature Center, and Michigan Audubon Society. Caleb is building on work by the Kalamazoo Nature Center between 1997 and 2006, nominating an initial list of nearly 500 potential IBAs.Since April 2006, the Michigan IBA Technical Committee has identified 22 IBAs, nine of which are now recognized as globally significant. The state technical committee is nearing the identification of over 50 state level IBAs, so please check back often for updates.
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Night-Heron nesting colony island in Pointe Mouillee's Lead Unit in summer, Photo Caleb Putnam 2007
| Name: |
Pointe Mouillee State Game Area |
| State: |
US-MI |
| Counties: |
Monroe, Wayne
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| Site Status: |
Recognized |
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Cell 4, one of many dredge spoils, in Pointe Mouillee's outer margin often hosts waterfowl, gulls, terns, and other birds in large numbers. Photo Caleb Putnam 2005
A huge wetland complex at the mouth of the Huron River bordering Lake Erie.
A premier Great Lakes wetland of key significance to waterbirds, waterfowl, and shorebirds. Weekly censuses have revealed impressive diversity and numbers including the following high counts: 1,000+ Tundra Swans (Nov-Mar), 5,000 Redheads, 400 Wood Ducks, 11,000 Canvasbacks, 1,000 Gadwall, 1,300+ American Wigeon, 8,200 Mallards, 800 Blue-winged Teal, up to 1,400 Lesser Yellowlegs, up to 671 Short-billed Dowitchers. One of the Great Lakes' top shorebird stopovers. Breeding waders are well represented with approximately 40 nesting Black-crowned Night-Herons, and several Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons.
Primary threats include invasive species, especially Phragmites, which has taken over a large percentage of the available cattail marsh. Disturbance of loafing shorebirds and waterbirds (and waterfowl during fall hunt) are a concern, as this is a major resting point for many thousands of individuals.
| Contact: |
| Caleb Putnam |
146 Timmer Dr NE
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| Sparta, MI 49345 |
| phone: 616-774-3000 |
| email: cputnam@audubon.org
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