Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1947 as a breeding ground for migratory birds. This 705 acre refuge is comprised of nine islands in Lakes Michigan and Huron. Gull, Pismire, Hat and Shoe Islands are part of the Beaver Island Archipelago in Lake Michigan and are managed by Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Sugar, Crooked and Scarecrow Islands located in Thunder Bay near Alpena, Michigan and Big and Little Charity Islands located in Saginaw Bay are managed by Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is closed to the public to protect sensitive colonial nesting waterbirds and the federally threatened plant species found on the islands.

The refuge has exceptional value to colonial nesting waterbird conservation in the Upper Great Lakes region and specific islands have been proposed as Important Bird Areas by The Audubon Society. Gull and Scarecrow Islands support nesting colonies of black-crowned night herons, while Hat Island supports one of the largest colonies of Caspian terns in Lake Michigan. Shoe, Pismire and Scarecrow Islands are designated wilderness areas.

Of the nine islands that are part of the refuge at least six were likely historically used by indigenous people. Gull Island was known to have a small fishing village with log shanties and wigwams. Big Charity has a historic lighthouse constructed in 1857; however it is not on refuge property. Sugar Island has the remains of fish houses and associated sites. Gull Island has a steel navigation tower, the original was torn down and replaced in the 1980s. Other islands have historic and prehistoric sites which have not been studied.

In 2000, Scarecrow Island was designated as part of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve. The designation gives federal protection to more than 100 well-preserved shipwrecks that litter the bottom of Thunder Bay, near Alpena, Michigan.