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Summer is packed with opportunity to get outside and enjoy Michigan's wildlife. In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, discover ways to connect with nature through local wildlife festivals, community science projects and volunteer stewardship days on public lands near you. Plus, get the latest updates on what the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division is working on this season.
 A common nighthawk flies overhead.
Despite its name, the common nighthawk isn’t a hawk at all. It is a member of the nightjar family, and its numbers are becoming less “common” across Michigan and beyond. With boomerang-shaped wings, erratic flight patterns and a wide, scooplike mouth built for catching insects midair, this insectivore is often mistaken for a bat at dusk. Common nighthawks are summer visitors to Michigan, arriving in late spring, just as flying insects emerge. They nest on open ground or gravel rooftops and are especially well-adapted to urban environments where bugs cluster near city lights.
In Michigan, the common nighthawk is a species of special concern and a focal species in the Wildlife Action Plan. Protecting open habitats like grasslands and savannas, reducing pesticide use and planting native vegetation can all help nighthawks and other insect-eating birds.
Want to hear more about these unique birds? Check out the July episode of the "Wildtalk" podcast, where we'll chat all things common nighthawks, hungry black bears and wildlife habitat projects in southeast Michigan.
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Wildlife Division staff spends the summers creating habitat, monitoring wildlife populations and preparing for the fall hunting seasons. Take a look at some of the activities that keep us busy this time of year.
 Tressa Hubbard demonstrates how to age a deer from its jawbone.
Wildlife staff members helped out at this year’s Academy of Natural Resources teacher academy at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center on Higgins Lake. On Wildlife Day, July 17, Roscommon-based technician Tressa Hubbard and senior biologist Mark Boersen (above) instructed teachers on how to tell the age of a deer from its jawbone. Other wildlife sessions were led by Tyler Petroelje, Shelby Adams and Miranda VanCleave.
 Miranda VanCleave, Angela Kujawa and Shelby Adams check survey maps on the tailgate.
Wildlifers from the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula helped conduct this year’s census for the Kirtland’s warbler June 6-26. More than 60 staffers and volunteers surveyed the songbird’s jack pine nesting areas, listening for singing males advertising and defending their territories. Each recorded male is presumed to have a mate, so the number of males also indicates the number of breeding pairs. A census or partial survey is conducted every other year for the once-endangered Kirtland’s warbler, which remains a state-threatened species in Michigan. showed a decline in the number of Kirtland’s warblers. The Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team, of which the DNR is a member, will address the decline with new habitat management strategies.
 Mike Richardson, Jake Crawford, Jessica VanKammen and a USDA partner carry waterfowl banding equipment into the field.
Wildlife staff at the Fennville Farm Unit of the Allegan State Game Area, Mike Richardson, Jake Crawford and Jessica VanKammen, show what it really takes to manage 4,000 acres of waterfowl habitat in Michigan. From planting to tackling invasive species, check out this two-minute video to see the year-round teamwork and dedication that goes into making a premier destination for migrating birds and waterfowl hunters alike.
 A contestant gives their all during the youth waterfowl calling contest.
Thousands of people turned out for the 30th annual Saginaw Bay Waterfowl & Outdoor Festival Aug. 2-3 at Bay City State Park, to celebrate the Saginaw Bay’s world-class migratory waterfowl destinations, the sport of waterfowl hunting and wetland conservation.
The waterfowl and outdoor expo featured over 30 vendors, including a variety of conservation groups, waterfowl hunting artisans and outfitters. Duck and goose calling competitions took place throughout the festival, including the Michigan state qualifier for the world championship in Stuttgart, Arkansas.
Families explored a duck species identification trail around the Tobico Marsh, and park interpreters guided kids through an archery target trail, giving lessons in how to use a bow and arrow. Kids built their own wood duck boxes, received free duck calls and participated in calling clinics. Pheasants Forever provided gun safety and BB gun instruction with their No Child Left Indoors program trailer.
The 2025 Michigan Duck Stamp Contest results were announced, and the first-place winner is Adam Oswald from Harrisburg, South Dakota. His painting depicting Canvasback ducks will be the 50th anniversary stamp in 2026.
The Saginaw Bay region is a vital ecosystem with wetland habitats like the Tobico Marsh at Bay City State Park, and nearby Nayanquing Point and Fish Point. These areas are major stopovers for North America’s waterfowl populations during fall and spring migration.
In addition to providing habitat for waterfowl, wetlands are natural filtration systems for contaminants that flow into our watersheds from industry, agriculture and transportation. When we take care of wetland habitats, we improve the quality of groundwater and the Great Lakes — providing clean drinking water to millions of people.
Through the sale of hunting licenses and excise taxes, Michigan’s waterfowl hunters are major contributors to wetland conservation. Join us at the Saginaw Bay Waterfowl & Outdoor Festival next year to celebrate this important work to protect both waterfowl and the wetlands they call home.
 Wood duck box building.
 A sample of murals from the Pleasant Peninsula mural festival.
On July 26, the Pleasant Peninsula Mural Festival unveiled 21 vibrant murals in downtown Grand Rapids — each one highlighting a species from Michigan’s Threatened and Endangered Species List.
Muralists from across the country collaborated with Michigan-based researchers and conservationists to bring these species to life through powerful visual storytelling. DNR staff joined in the fun by hosting an educational booth and delivering remarks on cultivating belonging in the conservation field and expanding access to outdoor spaces for all communities.
See all 21 murals along Front Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids, beneath the U.S. 131 overpass near the Blue Bridge. Learn more about the featured species and their conservation on the Pleasant Peninsula 2025 featured species page.
 A flock of eastern wild turkeys.
See wild turkeys? Let us know! The DNR’s annual turkey brood survey is underway now through Aug. 31. Anyone in Michigan can report sightings of wild turkeys or hens with young using the online form. Your observations help track turkey population health.
 Two hikers walk along a forested trail.
If you enjoy Michigan’s state wildlife and game areas—whether for hiking, hunting, fishing, birding or simply connecting with nature—we want to hear from you! The DNR Wildlife Division is partnering with Michigan State University to learn more about how people use and value these public lands.
You’re invited to join a focus group to share your experiences. Feedback will help inform future planning and management.
Upcoming sessions:
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Aug. 5, 5-7 p.m. – Cheboygan.
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Aug. 7, 6-8 p.m. – Marquette (western U.P. GEMS).
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Aug. 8, 3-5 p.m. – Marquette (eastern U.P. GEMS).
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Aug. 9, noon-1:30 p.m. – St. Ignace.
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Aug. 29, 2-4 p.m. – Saginaw.
Learn more and register to participate. ►
 A group of stewardship volunteers walk to a project site.
Volunteer stewardship days are one of the best ways to support local wildlife. Summer events are happening statewide – find one near you.
Aug. 9: Ice storm relief in wildlife openings and trails in Grayling Forest Management Unit (Oscoda County)
Aug. 30: Invasive species removal at Gourdneck State Game Area (Kalamazoo County)
Find more volunteer stewardship days. ►
 A group of bird watchers look across a grassland.
Migratory birds have settled in across Michigan and are filling the air with their melodic songs. But don’t wait too long to plan an early morning trip out to your local public lands to experience nature’s symphony. Bird songs dissipate at the end of the month, when most birds are busy rearing their young. Learn more about which bird species to expect and where to find them.
Explore MI Birds webinars to learn more about Michigan’s birds and the public lands they depend on! Watch these webinar recordings:
MI Birds is a public outreach and education program created by Audubon Great Lakes and the Michigan DNR. Birders and hunters share similar conservation values, but rarely cross paths. MI Birds aims to bridge the divide and increase and deepen Michiganders' engagement in the understanding, care and stewardship of public lands that are important for birds and communities.
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