Kirtland warbler

The Kirtland warbler may be taken off the endangered spices list. The Kirtland warbler is unique bird found in Michigan. In fact the only place the Kirtland warbler will bread is in Northern Michigan

Kirtland warblers will only breed in Jake Pine stands of at least 80 acres with trees 5 to 20 feet tall. They build nest on the ground beneath low hanging branches. Strangely Kirtland warblers will not nest in Jake Pine stands that are taller then 20 feet.

In the past this was not a problem because of the frequent forest fires in Michigan most Jake Pine stands were not fully grown meaning more breading grounds for the warblers.

However during the last 100 years or so Forest Fires in Michigan have been put out early resulting in mature Jake Pine stands that stand well over 20 feet. Which the Kirtland warbler will not breed in.

Nowadays the U.S. forest Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources manage about 190,000 acres of warbler habitat. Mature stands are logged and millions of seedlings planted each year.

At one point in the 1980’s there were less then 500 Kirtland warblers. Last year around 3500 warblers were counted.

The return of the Kirtland warbler warms the heart of any nature lover such as myself.