Michigan is home to many unique avian lifeforms that come in different shapes, sizes and colors. In this article I’ll simply be going over 5 different birds with a significant amount of green on their body which also happen to consider the state of Michigan as home.

• Red Eyed Vireo 
• Green Heron
• Ruby Throated Hummingbird 
• Black Throated Green Warbler 
• Ruby Crowned Kinglet 

5 Green Birds In Michigan

1. Red Eyed Vireo (Vireo Olivaceus)

• Size: 11 – 13cm
• Weight: 20 – 24 grams
• Wingspan: 23 – 25cm

Red eyed vireos can be found all throughout Michigan when they happen to breed. This typically will encompass the spring and summer months. 

These vireos are recognised by there green feathers from the head, wings and back, white feathers on their breast and the stand out red eye. The females look very similar to the males.

As for where you’ll often see these birds perching or flying around, it would include environments with large expanses of deciduous forest, particularly deciduous trees with large leaves, like maple trees for example. 

Red eyed vireos tend to eat mostly insects like caterpillars, moths, beetles, wasps, bees, ants, bugs, flies, as well as the occasional fruit and berry.

Red eyed vireos tend to live for around 6 – 7 years, whilst the oldest recorded one died at 10 years and 2 months.

2. Green Heron (Butorides Virescens)

• Size: 40 – 44cm
• Weight: 230 – 250 grams
• Wingspan: 54 – 58cm

You’ll find green herons in Michigan when they breed. Once again this will generally be around spring and summer. 

These heron’s are recognised by their darker green back and wings, maroon chest and neck, with yellow legs and a relatively long and pointy black beak. Females on the other hand are mostly brown and gray in color.

Green herons tend to spend the majority of their time around wetlands like lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, streamsides and rivers. 

As for what they consume, it includes a variety of different sources such as small fish like minnows, sunfishes, gizzard shads, crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, tadpoles, grasshoppers, snakes, earthworms, snails and other smaller rodents.

Green herons don’t have the longest of lifespans for a bird of their size, with the maximum known life expectancy said to be around 8 years.

3. Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus Colubris)

• Size: 7 – 9cm
• Weight: 2 – 6 grams
• Wingspan: 8 – 11cm

Ruby throated hummingbirds can be found in Michigan throughout breeding season, which normally includes the spring and summer months. 

A ruby throated hummingbird can be recognised by their plumage that is red, white and green. Their throat is the red part, its breast/stomach white in color and their wings and back an emerald green color. Females are mostly white and green in color.

As for what they eat, it ranges from small insects, fruits, sugar water from feeders, tree sap and of course the nectar produced by blooming flowers.

Ruby throated hummingbirds tend to stay near environments with flowerbeds as these birds have a very strong metabolism that requires them to feed multiple times per hour. Therefore, you can find them in fields, parks, backyards, and open clearings in forests.

As for how long these tiny little hummingbirds can live for, it’s known to be around 3 – 5 years on average with the longest recorded lifespan just short of 7 years.

4. Black Throated Green Warbler (Setophaga Virens)

• Size: 11 – 12cm
• Weight: 7 – 11 grams
• Wingspan: 17 – 20cm

Black throated green warblers can be found in most of Michigan when breeding (April – May) although around the southwest region of the state they will only being making their migratory passage. 

These birds are recognised by their yellow and green head and upper back, gray wings, black throat and white belly/breast with a green hue. Females look much the same but, have a duller color palate and the black throat is mostly gray/white for them.

You’ll often find these little birds around a wide variety of forest habitats like conifer forests or mixed hardwood forests as well as cypress swamps on occasion. 

They eat mainly insects, smaller fruits, berries or the buds of cecropia trees.

Black throated green warblers are known to live for around 2 – 4 years on average with the longest being 5 years and 11 months.

5. Ruby Crowned Kinglet (Regulus Calendula)

• Size: 9 – 11cm
• Weight: 5 – 10 grams
• Wingspan: 16 – 18cm

Ruby crowned kinglets can be found in northeast Michigan when breeding but will typically make their migratory passage through the remainder of the state. 

These kinglets are recognised by their gray and green plumage throughout, besides the red/orange color on the top of their head. Females look almost the same bar the orange/red element on the head.

Ruby crowned kinglets will often be found by tall, dense conifer forests such as spruce, fir, and tamarack.

These kinglets eat the same food sources as most other birds in the wild, which in this case would be small insects, small berries, seeds and other smaller fruits.

As for how long a ring crowned kinglet can live for, it’s estimated to be around 4 – 6 years.