Why is the kirtlands warbler endangered

The Kirtland's warbler nests only in young jack pine forests growing on a special type of sandy soil. This type of soil is found only in a few counties in Michigan. The warblers prefer to nest in forests that are about 80 acres roughly 60 football fields or larger with numerous small, grassy openings.

Kirtland's warblers prefer to nest in groups. They build their nests only on the ground among grass or other plants like blueberry bushes. The jack pine trees in its nesting area must be just the right height about 5 to 16 feet tall and the trees must be spaced to let sunlight through to the ground.

The sunlight helps keep the lower branches alive and bushy, hiding the Kirtland's warbler nest beneath them. When the trees grow larger their upper branches block the sun, causing the lower branches to die. Grasses and other plants also become less dense. The warblers then must find another nesting area. Kirtland's warblers spend their winters in the Bahama Islands.

They spend most of their time in low, brushy vegetation. There are two main reasons why the Kirtland's warbler is in danger of becoming extinct. Limited Habitat. Over the years, humans have changed the forest and now there is a shortage of good nesting habitat a place to live for the bird.

The Kirtland's warbler is very careful in choosing where it nests. It nests only in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan and nowhere else in the world! Cowbird Parasitism. The brown-headed cowbird has spread from the Great Plains into Michigan and is causing problems for the Kirtland's warbler.

The cowbirds lay their eggs in warbler nests. The warblers then raise cowbird young instead of their own. Under natural conditions, the type of jack pine forest that attracts the Kirtland's warbler is produced by fire. Fire has always occurred in the forest and jack pine trees are dependent on fire. Heat from fire is needed to open the jack pine cones to release the seeds. Fire also removes plants that compete with the pines for forest space and creates a bed of ash that helps the new seeds to grow.

Fires before the 20th century were more widespread in the jack pine plains of Michigan and created large nesting areas for the Kirtland's warbler. When lumberjacks moved across Michigan in the s, they found many areas with abundant jack pine trees.

After the trees were cut down, wildfires burned out of control over thousands of acres. This helped create vast areas of young jack pine trees and this meant more nesting areas for the Kirtland's warbler. The number of Kirtland's warblers is believed to have been at an all time high following the days of the lumberjack. After the lumberjacks left lower Michigan, settlers moved in.

New roads and fire breaks were built. Fire protection was necessary to protect the settlers' homes and lives. With fewer fires, there were fewer young jack pine forests -- and fewer warblers. Recognizing that the Kirtland's warbler was in danger of becoming extinct, forest managers set aside special areas for this bird.

In these special Kirtland's warbler management areas, forest managers try to imitate what used to happen naturally. Sometimes carefully managed fires are set on purpose in small areas. In other areas, forest managers harvest some of the old jack pine stands each year. Then, the areas are replanted with jack pine seedlings.

At least 1, seedlings are planted in each acre to create good nesting conditions. Several million seedlings are planted each year. When the trees reach about 5 feet high around 8 years old , the Kirtland's warblers begin nesting in the area. They will continue to use the area until the needles on the lower branches start dying.

This usually happens when the trees are about 16 feet high around 20 years old. This species will continue to be adaptively managed to optimize its ecological status. Michigan Audubon connects birds and people for the benefit of both, through conservation, education, and research efforts in the state of Michigan. As a non-profit conservation organization, Michigan Audubon has 18 sanctuaries, more than 30 local chapters throughout the state, and manages Whitefish Point Bird Observatory.

Visit www. Tend to be loosely colonial lone pairs are rare , and males tend to return to the same colony in which they previously nested. Males sometimes have more than one mate. Nest: Placed on ground in sandy soil close to pine. Nest built by female is open cup made of grass, sedge, pine needles, oak leaves, lined with rootlets, hair, moss, and fibers. Learn more about these drawings. Arrives on nesting grounds mostly in mid-May, and gradually departs during August and September, migrating to the Bahamas.

Very seldom seen in migration, probably because of the needle-in-a-haystack challenge of finding such a rare bird. Bipartisan legislation will benefit birds, other wildlife, and communities.

Latin: Cardellina canadensis. Latin: Setophaga graciae. Latin: Setophaga magnolia. Latin: Setophaga americana. Latin: Setophaga palmarum. Latin: Setophaga discolor. Latin: Setophaga pitiayumi. Latin: Setophaga dominica. Membership benefits include one year of Audubon magazine and the latest on birds and their habitats. Your support helps secure a future for birds at risk. Our email newsletter shares the latest programs and initiatives. One of our rarest songbirds, Kirtland's is a relatively large warbler that forages slowly, close to the ground, wagging its tail up and down.

It nests only in stands of young jack pines in central Michigan, a habitat that grows up only briefly after fires, and its nests have been heavily parasitized in recent decades by Brown-headed Cowbirds. Controlled burning to create more habitat, and control of cowbird numbers, have helped the warbler somewhat, but it is not necessarily out of danger yet.

Photo gallery. Feeding Behavior Forages for insects near the ground and in lower parts of pines and oaks. Eggs 4, sometimes Young Fed by both parents.