Uncommon Birds in Michigan
Our list for Michigan has 85 uncommon birds recorded regularly there: 6 residents, 35 summer visitors, 31 winter visitors and 13 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Michigan in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 85, most common first
Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct
Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivaceaSummer visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly May–Sep
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Sep
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRegularly May–Sep
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusSummer visitorUncommon19–22 cmRecorded all year
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Sep
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiSummer visitorUncommon13–17 cmRegularly May–Aug
VeeryCatharus fuscescensSummer visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly May–Sep
Purple MartinProgne subisSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Common LoonGavia immerSummer visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Mar–Jan
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Sep–May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRecorded all year
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly May–Oct
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made