Florida’s Giant Birds Have Moved Into Michigan

I was driving past a private lake recently, and I suddenly felt like I'd wandered onto the set of Finding Nemo. Seeing a flock of giant white birds and hearing the echo of "Mine!" ringing in my ears, I realized I was looking at an American White Pelican—in Michigan.

Pelicans in Michigan? Yup, That’s a Thing

Apparently, these giant birds, with a wingspan of up to 9 feet, are done with Florida's humidity and HOA fees and have decided to follow Michigan's snowbirds back home to breed.

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These prehistoric-looking creatures (seriously, they look like they missed a casting call for Jurassic Park) have been slowly expanding their breeding range, and now Michigan is the new up-and-coming real estate hot spot for feathered freeloaders.

According to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), they've been nesting here for about 15 years. So, yes, this isn't technically new—but like most trends in Michigan, I'm just now catching on.

Where They’re Nesting Around the State

According to Audubon Great Lakes, the pelicans we are seeing in the Mitten State are juveniles—basically teenagers with nothing better to do than loiter around Lake Michigan in giant squawking friend groups.

There have even been sightings in Jackson County, on Pleasant Lake, where a flock of 40 to 50 dropped in late April of 2025.

Why These Birds Are Flocking North

Why now? Blame climate change. Or Michigan lakes have better pelican snacks. Maybe it's birds being birds.

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Any way you look at it, if you're near the water this summer and you see a mini, white pterodactyl, you're not hallucinating, that's a Florida bird in Michigan. Well, take the pelicans, but you keep those gators and snakes in your peninsula and out of ours.