The "Big Five" of Urban Wildlife near Detroit
- Dan Cooke
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
The Detroit region's emergence as a world-class outdoor destination has originated from its stunning parks, beautiful trails, and abundant wildlife - especially within reclaimed green spaces. Now that we've entered "peak wildlife season," here are the "Big Five" of urban wildlife near Detroit!
"Hold on guys - we need to drive quickly. Two lions are fighting up ahead."
Sleep immediately dissipated from my tired eyes. It was 7:20AM on a chilled winter morning in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa. I had properly celebrated my birthday the night before, so wrestling myself out of bed for an early morning safari had been quite the feat. "Good things come to those who go." I repeated Delta Airline's marketing motoo consistently as I climbed into the back of the safari truck.
My expectations were in the gutter for that particular safari. Pilanesburg, although a destination where you could readily witness the"Big 5" of Africa's wildlife - lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants, and cape buffalo - was not as well-known for such sightings as the behemoth Kruger National Park. Plus, a large group of my fellow Americans had booked the same tour the day prior and only saw, as they put it, "Two baboons mocking us."
With this in mind, I closed my eyes for a short recovery nap as we entered the park.
Then the "lions announcement" rang across the truck's intercom.
My eyes stayed wide open for the remainder of the safari, capturing one of the most incredible mornings of my life.
The prospect of witnessing Africa's "Big 5" in their natural savanna habitat has propelled the continent's tourism for over half a century. A similar phenomenon of conservation-based global tourism has grown in stride, with with estimates showing wildlife tourism contributing around $343.6 billion to the global economy and sustaining 21.8 million jobs. In 2024, the United States wildlife tourism market alone was valued at approximately $5.7 billion, and is projected to grow significantly, reaching nearly $9.9 billion by 2033.
As conservation tourism continues to grow, other regions have followed Africa's example in designating their own "Big 5" animals. In North America, the typical candidates include the bison, moose, grizzly bear, gray wolf, and mountain lion, although polar bears, American alligators, bald eagles, black bears, and caribou also commonly make the cut. National Geographic even produced a 2012 documentary titled "America's Great Animals" on this topic, which you can stream on Disney+.
Our team at Expedition Detroit is also ecstatic about and fascinated with wildlife-based tourism - especially in relation to the dramatic changes in Detroit's ecosystem over the past several decades. Southeast Michigan's outdoor destinations now provide unparalleled opportunities to experience the "Big 5" of urban wildlife near Detroit, both within our resident wilderness areas and backyards.
Let's get into what makes the Detroit region so unique for witnessing the "Big 5" of urban wildlife - as well as crowning Metro Detroit's own "Big 5" animals.
REINTRODUCING DETROIT: A Resurgent Sanctuary for Urban Wildlife
Resurget cineribus. For those of us who haven't kept up with their Latin, the phrase means "It will rise from the ashes." That motto should also ring a bell for our local outdoor enthusiasts - it's the later half of the official motto of the City of Detroit, created by Father Gabriel Richard after the great fire of 1805 had effectively leveled the city.
The Detroit of 2025 could empathize strongly with the Detroit of the early 19th century. While we have thankfully not had to deal with an apocalyptic fire, the decades of socioeconomic decline that defined the later 20th century for Detroit led to the eradication of much of the city. Businesses closed. Neighborhoods lost. Entire communities displaced from the city.
And yet, our city - and our region - persisted. "Detroit Never Left," as the Eastern Market mural proudly proclaims. Coming out of the 2013 bankruptcy, the city's grit and incontestable work ethic rebuilt a vibrant downtown, reinvigorated its neighborhoods, and not only preserved, but IMMENSELY expanded its green infrastructure. Detroit's parks and trails - especially the Detroit Riverwalk and Belle Isle - remain its crown jewels.
The last decade+ has also witnessed an alternative means of resurget. One that is arguably the opposite - yet equally important - version of the shimmering new buildings of downtown. The vacated neighborhoods and eradication of blighted structures paved the way for the "original Detroit," i.e. the nature that has witnessed every phase of the city's progression, to reclaim its territory. Expansive green spaces and urban forests now cover what were once bustling, over-populated city blocks, leading urban developers, ecologists, and artists alike to study, manage, and marvel at nature's resilience.
Stated differently, Detroit's long-forgotten wilderness has returned in full-force - along with its wildest inhabitants.
With our central urban core now reverse-colonized by nature, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the suburban and rural exterior of the Detroit region has also experienced a dramatic uptick in "urban wildlife." What were once rare sightings of certain elusive animals has now become commonplace in community parks, backyards, and even main streets across our region.
We are truly living in a golden age of urban wildlife viewing opportunities in the Detroit region - and here are the "Big 5" that are championing its resurgence.
1. Bald Eagle
Binomial Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Endangerment Status: Least Concern (population increasing)
Estimated Population within Michigan: 900
Most Active Season: Winter months, especially in early morning and late afternoon
Big 5 Highlights
The Bald Eagle represents far more than just America's national emblem. After facing near-extinction in the 1960s, the Bald Eagle population has rebounded spectacularly across the country - and especially along Metro Detroit's waterways.
You'll typically see Bald Eagles soaring high in the sky, flapping low over treetops with slow wingbeats, or perched in trees or on the ground. Bald Eagles scavenge many meals by harassing other birds or by eating carrion or garbage. They eat mainly fish, but also hunt mammals, gulls, and waterfowl.
Where to Experience
Look for Bald Eagles near lakes, reservoirs, rivers, marshes, and coasts. For a chance to see large Bald Eagle congregations, check out wildlife refuges or large bodies of water in winter over much of the Detroit region.
Notable Bald Eagle populations are visible year-round at the following outdoor destinations near Detroit:
Kent Lake at Kensington Metropark
Harsens Island
Point Mouillee State Game Area
Point Pelee National Park
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
2. Coyote
Binomial Name: Canis latrans
Endangerment Status: Least Concern (population increasing)
Estimated Population within Michigan: 30,000 - 50,000
Most Active Season: Mid-January - March (breeding season) around sunrise and sunset
Big 5 Highlights
No "Big 5" list would be complete without a region's apex predator. For the Detroit region's urban wildlife, the Coyote indisputably holds that crown. With cougars, wolves, and black bears effectively removed from Metro Detroit (for the time being at least), the Coyote stands alone at the top of the food chain as our region's most prolific carnivore.
People are most likely to see and hear Coyotes during their breeding period, which typically occurs January through March. If there is a den nearby, people may also see the adults throughout the summer as they care for their pups. As fall approaches, pups begin dispersing from the den site to establish home ranges of their own. These young dispersing animals are sometimes more visible. Coyotes are active day and night; however, peaks in activity occur at sunrise and sunset.
In urban or suburban areas, Coyotes will take advantage of the small mammals and birds that bird feeders and gardens often attract. They may even eat some of the fruits and veggies too. Coyotes are opportunistic feeders and have a keen sense of smell. Garbage or pet food that is left out overnight may also draw their attention. If there are Coyotes in the area, eliminating these potential food sources may make the area less appealing to them.
Where to Experience
Coyotes are incredibly smart and adaptable predators that have learned to survive in just about any habitat, including densely urban areas like the City of Detroit. They have especially established large urban packs within Northville Township, Southfield, Royal Oak, and Lathrup Village.
Notable Coyote populations are visible year-round at the following outdoor destinations near Detroit:
Several Oakland County Parks
Rotary Park in Livonia
Rouge Park
Eliza Howell Park
Legacy Park in Northville
Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area
Maybury State Park
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3. Wild Turkey
Binomial Name: Meleagris gallopavo
Endangerment Status: Least Concern (population increasing)
Estimated Population within Michigan: 200,000
Most Active Season: Spring months, especially in early morning
Big 5 Highlights
Everyone loves a good comeback story, especially when that story involves wildlife restoration. And there's no better story than that of the North American Wild Turkey, which faced the brink of extinction as recently as the 1970s.
Thankfully, science-backed conservation regulations restored healthy Wild Turkey populations not only in Michigan, but throughout the entire continent. Due to the resiliency and careful management of the species, Wild Turkey hunting in both the spring and fall continues to represent a cherished past time among Michigan's hunting community - as well as simply admiring the bird alongside your favorite trail.
In the spring, male Wild Turkeys give a gobbling call to attract females. In courtship, males puff out their feathers, raise and spread their tails, swell their facial wattles, and droop their wings; in this exaggerated posture, they strut, rattling their wing feathers and making humming sounds. Wary and magnificent, Wild Turkeys usually get around by walking or running, but they can fly strongly, and they typically roost overnight in tall trees.
Where to Experience
The best habitat for spotting Wild Turkeys comprises of a mixture of woodland and open clearings. Although habitat preferences vary, we recommend visiting one of the Detroit region's many expansive oak-hickory forests, pine-oak forests, swamps, and grasslands. Wild Turkeys tend to roost in tall oak trees since acorns are their food of choice.
Notable Wild Turkey populations are visible year-round at the following outdoor destinations near Detroit:
Holly State Recreation Area
Seven Lakes State Park
Highland State Recreation Area
Kensington Metropark
Lake Erie Metropark
4. White-Tailed Deer
Binomial Name: Odocoileus virginianus
Endangerment Status: Least Concern (population increasing)
Estimated Population within Michigan: 2,000,000 (disproportionately in Southeast Michigan)
Most Active Season: Late fall during the annual "rut," especially in early morning and late afternoon
Big 5 Highlights
While Michigan is home to the "Big 3" of the Cervidae family - Moose, Elk, and White-Tailed Deer - only one of those reigns supreme in the Detroit region. You guessed it: the White-Tailed Deer, our state's official animal, and the most prolifically-dispersed of the "Big Five."
As I type these words, Michigan is currently on the tail-end of "The Rut," i.e. the breeding season for White-Tailed Deer. The Rut represents the brief time of year when deer are the most active, especially the largest antlered, male deer actively searching for females to reproduce with. Stated differently, regardless of whether you're actively hunting for deer or interested in spotting the largest bucks in our region, there's no better time than late fall to experience the largest of the "Big 5" of Detroit's urban wildlife.
White-Tailed Deer live in every county in Michigan and use many different habitats across the state. However, southeast Michigan is notably overpopulated with White-Tailed Deer due to a combination of ample food, shelter, and a lack of natural predators found within a suburban environment, as well as relatively limited hunting access paired with abundant hunting restrictions.
Where to Experience
Michigan's official state motto is "Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice," which translates to "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you." Well, in the Detroit region, our motto could easily be "If you seek a healthy deer population, look about you." White-Tailed Deer are so prolific throughout Metro Detroit that several suburban communities are interested in reinstating urban hunting seasons in order to reign in the ecological and societal havoc caused by too many deer.
Notable White-Tailed Deer populations are located at the following outdoor destinations near Detroit:
Most municipal parks throughout Metro Detroit, especially in Farmington Hills and Southfield
Rotary Park in Livonia
Maybury State Park in Northville
Oakland County Parks, especially Lyon Oaks County Park
Washtenaw County Parks
5. Great Blue Heron
Binomial Name: Ardea herodias
Endangerment Status: Least Concern (population increasing)
Estimated Population within Michigan: 250,000
Big 5 Highlights
The Great Blue Heron represents the "Official Unofficial" state bird of Michigan - or at least the Detroit region. Beyond its prominence on nature-related signs and insignias, the Great Blue Heron is a fixture across our region's inland and costal waterways. They're especially visible due to their impressive size (~4.5 feet tall with ~6.5 feet wingspan), striking blue-gray feathers, and iconic "S" shaped neck. Their very slow wingbeats, tucked-in neck and trailing legs create an unmistakable image in flight.
Great Blue Herons tend to wade slowly or stand statue-like, stalking fish and other prey in shallow water or open fields. Watch for the lightning-fast thrust of the neck and head as they stab with their strong bills. A study found that herons ate mostly diseased fish that would have died shortly anyway. Herons, like most of our regional birds, are legally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Where to Experience
Look for Great Blue Herons in freshwater habitats, from open coasts, marshes, sloughs, riverbanks, and lakes to even backyard ponds. They also forage in grasslands and agricultural fields.
Notable Great Blue Heron populations are located at the following outdoor destinations near Detroit:
Huron River, especially at Kensington Metropark
Clinton River
Lake St. Clair Metropark
Palmer Park
Rouge Park
Belle Isle State Park, especially at the aptly-named Blue Heron Lagoon
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What is your favorite animal that you've seen in the Detroit region's outdoors? Do you think that we missed an animal that should've been included in our "Big 5 of Detroit's Urban Wildlife" list? Let us know in the comments!
Expedition Detroit is proud to showcase the Detroit region's world-class outdoor destinations, organizations, wildlife, and other amenities. If you operate a business, organization, or destination that you would like for us to highlight, please contact us at info@expeditiondetroit.com to learn more.
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