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Watching Wildlife Responsibly
March 12, 2025
By: Maddie Lukens, Park Interpreter
If there is one thing that the Metroparks are known for, it is that they are home to a wide array of wildlife. Chickadees chirping in the forest, painted turtles swimming amongst the green frogs and the bluegill, and bald eagles soaring high in the sky, many Michigan wildlife call the Metroparks home. We know that our visitors cherish these incredible moments when we get the chance to observe wildlife in their natural habitats. The key to this is keeping wildlife wild and simply watching wildlife from a safe distance, whether it be for photography, education, or just for fun.
Here are some tips on how to best observe wildlife in a safe and respectful manner.
Always Keep Space Between Nesting Raptors and Owls, and Yourself
It was said best by the National Park Service, “Sometimes the best relationship is a long-distance relationship”, referring to the relationship between wildlife and humans. The term wildlife implies that they are living in the wild, undomesticated, and untamed. For the safety of wildlife and humans, we must do our best to keep wildlife wild. Keeping a safe distance between you and wildlife is one way to help. For example, raptors and owls are incredibly sensitive to human activity and disturbance. If a person is too close to the nest, lingering, or making too much noise, these birds may not deem the area safe enough to raise young and will abandon their nests. During cold or inclement weather, even a short period of time without the adult on the eggs or young can lead to fatalities because neither eggs nor young birds have any means of keeping warm or dry.
In the case of bald eagles, these majestic birds are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, requiring humans to stay beyond buffer zones during breeding season when the eagles are the most sensitive (330 feet or more). Always remember to keep space between you and a nesting raptor or owl, any changes in their behavior are telling you that you are too close. You may notice trail closures in some parks that create the necessary buffers around active eagle nests. Those trail closures will be marked with barricades and signage, and allows the eagle family space and quiet to rear their young without disturbance. While the same federal guidelines aren’t in place for nesting hawks or owls, the same basic considerations apply.
What about other wildlife that I see when walking the trails? Wildlife like songbirds, squirrels, and even some reptiles or amphibians can be seen within a proximity to any nature trail. Being aware of your surroundings and animal behaviors is key to watching wildlife in the wild. For instance, you are walking on a nature trail and see a white-tailed deer grazing in the distance and stop to take its picture. Staying on the designated trail, making minimal noise, and simply watching the deer is the best way to observe it in its natural habitat. Intentionally spooking the deer or walking up to it can do more harm than good. While there is no metric for what a “safe distance” is to observe wildlife in our parks, always stay on designated trails and be aware of changes in an animal’s behavior. If an animal changes its behavior because of your presence, that likely tells you that from the animal’s perspective, you are too close!
Using binoculars, phone cameras, or photography equipment on designated trails within a safe and respectful distance is the best way to observe wildlife. Some nature centers even have free public programs to observe wildlife safely, like Stony Creek Nature Center’s free Eagle Watch program. Many nature centers also have indoor wildlife viewing areas with frequently visiting songbirds and squirrels, a safe and easy way to observe Michigan wildlife.
Let wildlife do their thing
Michigan wildlife have been surviving and thriving long before us humans entered their environments. While it is with our best intentions, intentionally feeding wildlife might not be the best practice, for us or them. Animals are smart, most can remember when and where they were given an easy meal, via hand feeding, garbage bins, or pumpkins on the roadside in autumn. Unfortunately, this encourages wildlife to not be afraid of humans or man-made areas. This causes an increase in vehicle collisions with wildlife, the spread of disease among populations, and can turn wildlife into a nuisance.
To create a safe space for both humans and wildlife to coexist, refrain from feeding wildlife and instead, practice safe wildlife observation! Watching wildlife from a safe and respectful distance at home, in your community, or at your local park, is an activity that anyone can do. Don’t know where to start or how to go about wildlife observation? Think about participating in one of the many programs that the Metroparks have to offer that focus on Michigan wildlife!
You can help keep wildlife safe and wild!
While it is best to keep our distance, there are still things that we can do to help our local wildlife. Cleaning up trash, litter, and fishing line in your community is one way to help. This helps reduce illness from eating trash or litter and reduces injury from entanglement in fishing line. Many parks and communities host Earth Day clean ups in April, an easy way to lend a helping hand to the environment and your local wildlife populations.
As a reminder, none of your Metroparks are able or licensed to take in injured or ill wildlife. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators are legally allowed to take in injured or ill wildlife. A list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators can be found on the DNR’s website here.
Resources:
https://swibirds.org/blog/ethical-bird-observation
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/watchingwildlife/7ways.htm
https://www.fws.gov/Alaska-eagle-nesting
https://www.metroparks.com/how-to-keep-your-backyard-wildlife-safe/
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