Migizi Aviary & Rehabilitation Center

After their partner rehabilitation center closed, the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians (LTBBOI) Natural Resource Department needed an aviary to house and heal injured raptorial species for both long- and short-term durations. Named after the Migizi, or “eagle” in Anishinaabemowin, the facility’s program required a display aviary, rehabilitation aviary, staff office, food preparation kitchen, and a veterinary exam room capable of providing everything from routine to emergency care for the Tribe’s winged relatives. Seven Generations Architecture + Engineering (7GAE) was retained to design the state-of-the-art facility, which required careful planning to adhere to federal regulations regarding migratory birds.

The LTBBOI operates a fish hatchery working to strengthen native fish species in the Great Lakes. The current project, albeit in a different place in the food chain, will be an extension of this work caring for and stewarding culturally significant species. Site selection was influenced by proximity to access roads and other utilities provided by existing development, distance from disruptions such as road noise and heavy visitation, and the ability for the building to be screened by the surrounding forest.

Located on the north side of the facility, the Rehabilitation Aviary is the most secluded section of the building. It is divided into two parts: a flight pen and individual enclosures. After their recovery, the raptors cared for here are destined to be released and are not accessible to the public. Birds not able to be released reside in the curved Display Aviary where citizens of the tribe and members of the public can view the feathered occupants against a natural backdrop.

The outer curve increases the birds’ exposure to the forest beyond while also creating a more interesting and varied flight experience for the facility’s permanent residents. The circular viewing area provides 180-degree views into the enclosure and is created by the inner curve of the Display Aviary, which is connected to the parking lot via a short walking path. This area is the primary public interface for the facility and contains educational signage intended to raise visitor awareness of the work being done onsite and the important role predatory birds play in the vitality of the ecosystem.

The building’s form and material palette are a result of blending functional necessity, buildability, maintenance, and aesthetic priorities. Keeping rodents out of the enclosures necessitated a base course of CMU to prevent tunnelling. Constructing and maintaining buildings in rural areas requires designing with readily available materials such as corrugated metal siding, polycarbonate panels, and wire mesh, all products one would find in a region where agricultural architecture dominates. Ultimately, the structure is intended to recede into the tree line with timber structural elements, dark siding, and a green-tinted roof.

The Migizi Aviary & Rehabilitation Center is on track to be the first tribal aviary and raptor center in the Midwest, joining only eight others nationwide.