Michigan

Songbird Protection Coalition

Here's the latest in our efforts to protect Michigan's sandhill cranes and mourning doves:

On October 11, the House Natural Resources Committee voted 5 to 4 to pass House Resolution (HR) 154, which encourages the Michigan Natural Resources Commission to open a recreational sandhill crane hunting season. Many thanks to committee members Christine Grieg, Stephanie Chang, William Sowerby, and David Maturen for their “no” votes on this ill-advised resolution. Committee members Gary Howell, Beau LaFave, Joseph Bellino, Daire Rendon, and Curt VanderWall voted yes on HR 154. Thank you SO much to everyone who called, sent emails, or testified in person against HR 154 in its two committee hearings. You made a difference—at least two committee members indicated that because of the facts and information that were shared with them by sandhill crane advocates, they decided to vote no on HR 154.

HR 154 now moves to the House floor. If you have not yet, please contact your own Representative - click here to find her or him -- and to ask for a “NO” vote on HR 154 when it comes up for a vote. You can simply say, “My name is _____________, I live in _____________, and I am a constituent. I would like Representative _____________ to vote NO on House Resolution 154, which urges the opening of a recreational hunting season on sandhill cranes. Hunting sandhill cranes would serve no wildlife management purpose, will not protect agriculture crops, and could jeopardize the recovery of these iconic birds in our state. Thank you.”

We will keep you posted about public meetings you can attend, officials you can call or write to, and other actions you can take at all of the steps along the way.

Mourning doves: We are vigilantly monitoring the Michigan legislature for any attempt to introduce a bill to overturn the current law that prohibits the NRC from designating mourning doves as a targeted game species. We will keep you informed about any legislation that is introduced, and provide you with actions you can take to oppose it.

CraneFest: Don’t miss the 23rd annual CraneFest, coming up this weekend, October 14 and 15, from 12:00 noon to dusk at the Kiwanis Youth Area in Bellevue, Michigan (just northeast of Battle Creek). When you’re there, please stop by our Songbird Protection Coalition booth to learn more about our campaign, and to share your thoughts on the protection of Michigan's sandhill cranes and mourning doves. Find out more about CraneFest, sponsored by Michigan Audubon in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Battle Creek, at www.michiganaudubon.org/news-events/signature-events/cranefest.

Are you a member of a Michigan birding, environmental, conservation, or outdoor recreation group that might like to be more involved in our work? If so, you can download and print out our fact sheets and a mailing list sign-up sheet to share at your next meeting on our “Take Action” page. And if you'd like to have our director Julie Baker or another volunteer from our campaign speak at an upcoming meeting of your group, just contact us at contact@songbirdprotection.com.

Get the latest news and updates: If you’re on Facebook, please “like” the Songbird Protection Coalition Facebook page to get updates in your newsfeed.

Thank you for speaking up for Michigan's sandhill cranes and mourning doves!