Wayne State's 'Bird Lady': Alum Michelle Serreyn champions urban wildlife with WSU falcon cam
High atop Old Main, nestled under the gabled recesses of Wayne State’s oldest building, a springtime drama of operatic dimension featuring a family of peregrine falcons unfolds. And due in large part to the efforts of Michelle Serreyn, this avian reality show — the nesting, mating, fledging and sometimes spectacular death — is broadcast in real time on camera.
But long before Serreyn — whose name is a homophone for serin, a small Eurasian and North African finch related to the canary — became the unofficial “bird lady” of Wayne State, her roots with the university were firmly entrenched.
“My connection to WSU goes all the way back to my birth,” said Serreyn. “The two buildings north of the Detroit Historical Museum were the Art Centre Hospital complex back in the mid-1960s. I was born there. When I found out the address of the hospital, I drove down Woodward and noticed the address is now WSU property.”
Her early interest in nature and science education was nurtured by her upbringing in St. Clair Shores. She cites her eighth grade science teacher, Ms. Dewey, as playing a pivotal role (“She pushed us to question and explore, and especially supported girls in those efforts,” Serreyn said) in fostering a love for studying all that wildlife has to offer.
“I’ve always been interested in science and curious about the natural world,” Serreyn said. “My parents and grandparents indulged my interests by teaching me about gardening; making sure I had plenty of books and other resources; taking me to museums, nature centers and zoos; even letting me keep various pets. And I loved sharing what I learned with others. My first ‘teaching’ gig was taking my pet garter snake to my sister’s kindergarten class for show-and-tell!”
Given this early exposure to and interest in nature, it’s easy to see why Serreyn chose a largely scientific academic path that led her to Wayne State’s campus.
“All my degrees came from Wayne State University. My undergrad was in chemistry and English, my master’s in biology, and my Ed.D. in science education. I also hold a secondary teaching certificate in biology, chemistry, physics and math after completing coursework at the University of Detroit.”
One initiative that Serreyn has spearheaded at Wayne State is the creation of the Detroit Biodiversity Network (DBN), a consortium of students, community members and university support dedicated to demonstrating the importance of biodiversity in Detroit.
“I approached some students working with SEED Wayne a number of years ago and asked if they would be interested in growing plants for campus projects,” said Serreyn, who, at the time, was coordinator for the introductory biology labs. “Then a student reached out and asked if they could use the greenhouse on the fourth floor of Science Hall, and I asked around and found out no one was using it.
“We set things up,” she continued, “and they started growing vegetables. I introduced them to native plants, and they got so caught up in the idea they took it and ran with it! Three of the students decided to start DBN to further their efforts, bring on more students, and have some university standing and support. They got grants, created internships, developed partnerships in the community and just rocked the house.” Serreyn believes this effort is key to sustaining biodiversity in the city.
“This kind of organization allows participants to work together and get hands-on experience with plants, green infrastructure and the environment. In an urban setting like ours, there aren’t as many opportunities to do that — and the native plants are important habitat components, particularly for native insects and birds, as well as serving other ecological and aesthetic functions.”
These days, Serreyn works as an educational programmer for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at the Outdoor Adventure Center in downtown Detroit.
“Although I don’t do academic research, I’m always delving deeply into the subject matter I get to teach, in cultural and natural history, for all ages,” she said. “This includes not only the subject matter, but the best practices for each audience level. Being an interpreter is the job I’ve loved best at various locations in the metro area over the past few years.”
Still, her time working at Wayne State has left an indelible mark on her career and her life.
“I had a great time working with staff, faculty and students at WSU,” said Serreyn, who taught a variety of classes. “My favorite part has been informal teaching: being asked to be a guest speaker in various classes, doing teacher workshops and interacting with students through the Detroit Biodiversity Network student organization.”
What’s more, Serreyn continues to have a presence at Wayne State campus through her work with DBN and in conjunction with Detroit Bird Alliance for campus sustainability and wildlife projects, like the show unfolding on the roof of Old Main.
“When I was working at Lake St. Clair Metropark at the Nature Center, one of my colleagues was Chris Becher, who was also working for the Department of Natural Resources as their Southeast Michigan peregrine falcon monitor,” said Serreyn as she recalled the genesis of the falcon cam. “I talked with her about it and went out with her once. After I moved to Midtown and was closer to the WSU nest site, I started paying more attention to the falcons and got the idea that it might be cool to have a webcam to watch them.”
As her role with the falcons at Old Main expanded, Serreyn became the go-to contact for all things falcon-related.
“I started doing the downed juvenile rescues when one landed up at the WSU Farmers Market,” she said. “Daryl Pierson, the market coordinator, let me know one was there, and I was able to round it up and get it to the current DNR falcon monitor.”
As Serreyn continues her support of the falcon project, the campus community is eager to stay involved.
“Folks watching the cam alert us if they see something happen, and the WSU police keep a sharp eye on things and call me, too,” she said. “I got a phone call last year from a WSU colleague who happened to be eating with her family at Ima, and her son saw one go down, so we’ve got a really supportive community keeping an eye on our feathered friends.”
Despite the many successes of the project, Herman and Lillie, WSU’s current peregrine falcons, have lost their only chick this season, resulting in an unsuccessful nesting period. This underscores the vital importance of the falcon cam project, which continues to educate the public about the realities of urban ecology and the challenges faced by birds of prey.
“This year’s loss is a poignant reminder of the delicate balance within urban ecosystems,” Serreyn said. “The falcon cam not only brings the beauty and wonder of these magnificent birds into people’s lives but also highlights the real challenges they face.”
"While it’s heartbreaking to see Herman and Lillie lose their chick, it's also an invaluable learning moment,” Serreyn continued. “It gives us a deeper understanding and appreciation of urban wildlife and the perseverance required for survival. This is exactly why educational projects like the falcon cam are so important.”
By Ted Montgomery