Birding spots · Michigan

Best Birding Spots in Grand Traverse County, Michigan

Medalie Park leads Grand Traverse County's birding spots with 188 species reported, best in spring. 42 spots in the county have enough data to rank.

Species counts are birds reported at least three times in that season at that spot, 2016–2025. Busy spots list more species simply because more people look, so compare the checklist counts. Spot names come from public map data and hotspot listings.

Spot	Species	Checklists	Winter	Spring	Summer	Fall
Medalie Park	188	3,995	67	149	120	132
Lake DuBonnet Flooding State Wildlife Management Area	150	710	16	119	95	99
Boardman Lake	140	387	49	126	44	62
Bridge Lake	135	484	24	112	86	81
Old Mission Peninsula State Park	128	421	25	117	66	65
Petobego Pond	120	120	10	111	63	35
Cedar Hedge Lake	118	318	33	104	75	66
Ellis Lake (Saunders Lake)	115	272	1	112	71	14
Natural Education Reserve	110	237	36	61	78	37
Fern Lake	96	321	30	71	64	65
Pyatt Lake Nature Preserve	93	260	17	72	57	55
Brookside	85	280	25	57	48	48
Natural Education Reserve (Keystone Pond)	81	123	15	66	49	3
Brown Bridge Pond	81	98	15	60	52	22
Natural Education Reserve (Sabin Pond)	80	109	13	44	52	27
Petobego State Game Area	80	108	0	59	43	12
Hull Park	79	324	33	59	28	47
George & Ada Reffitt Preserve	71	101	16	55	42	29
Bridge Lake (Interlochen)	70	160	7	41	52	35
Mayfield Pond	67	67	10	53	25	16
Silver Lake Recreation Area	64	55	2	25	9	49
Lay Park	63	350	46	40	25	18
Mitchell Creek Golf Course	62	94	9	29	25	40
Boardman Lake (northwest)	54	117	27	36	13	35
Charters Traverse City State Park	52	130	4	23	32	25
Acme Creek	50	68	5	30	30	22
Bryant Park	31	61	15	20	2	10
Hannah Park	30	51	13	16	17	6
East Bay Park	26	50	14	14	12	2
Birding spot near Elk Rapids (Petobego Pond)	158	369	9	139	105	41
Birding spot near Chums Corner	134	648	23	126	91	30
Birding spot near Kingsley	131	661	39	103	71	52
Birding spot near Traverse City (East Arm Acme Creek)	121	579	22	95	71	32
Birding spot near Traverse City (south)	116	613	31	100	62	58
Birding spot near Elk Rapids (Yuba Creek)	80	91	1	65	61	6
Birding spot near Traverse City (Brookside)	71	179	20	58	32	32
Birding spot near Traverse City (Kids Creek)	65	122	23	41	30	33
Birding spot near Traverse City	61	826	38	39	20	29
Birding spot near Traverse City (Carpenter Hill)	59	111	13	34	36	23
Birding spot near Chums Corner (Chums Corners)	54	365	21	42	35	16
Birding spot near Interlochen	47	188	16	19	23	21
Birding spot near Traverse City (south)	47	53	11	36	24	11