Each spring, the St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area, located on Harsens Island, hosts nearly 200 bird species!  Learn more about this birding hotspot at a Spring Open House, presented by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Drive to different observation points, bring your own kayak or canoe and paddle along wetland and river channels, or walk along the dike system. Drop-in to the DNR Field Office at 3857 Columbine Road, Harsens Island, Michigan, 48028 any time between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 8 to participate in the event.  

This 3,355 acres of strictly managed waterfowl habitat is part of the largest freshwater delta in the United States. Mallards are the most prevalent species seen each Fall on the managed area, but black ducks, pintail, wood ducks and Canada geese are also observed each year. Along with the waterfowling opportunities, St. Clair Flats is an Audubon Important Bird Area for the vulnerable secretive marsh bird populations it supports each summer, and is one of Michigan’s premier Wetland Wonders.   

Please note that a short, cash-only, car ferry ride is required to reach Saint Clair Flats State Wildlife Area's Harsens Island, located on the shores of the St. Clair Flats.   

Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes as the dikes are unpaved with uneven ground. Restrooms can be found at the DNR Field Office and Harsens Island is home to several restaurants, if you make a day trip out of your visit! 

MI Birds is a public outreach and education program created by Audubon Great Lakes and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Birders and hunters share similar conservation values, but rarely cross paths. MI Birds aims to bridge the divide, and deepen all Michiganders engagement in the understanding, care, and stewardship of public lands that are important for birds and local communities.