Kirtland's Warbler

2011 Nesting Season Summary

Kirtland's warbler singing male

Photo by USFWS; Joel Trick

During the 2011 annual census, a total of 1,828 singing males were counted, an increase from 1,773 in 2010. The total count included 1,805 from Michigan with an additional 21 males observed in Wisconsin, and 2 males observed in Ontario, Canada. Follow this link for a review of previous survey data.

Eleven nests were documented in central Wisconsin and two males were recorded in Ontario. This was the fifth consecutive year that nesting has occurred outside Michigan.

52 cowbird traps in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula captured 1,625 cowbirds, aiding in efforts to prevent nest parasitism. A total of 153,365 cowbirds have been trapped during the 40 years of this program.

For information about the brown-headed cowbird and how it affects migratory birds, see Cornell's fact sheet.

Cowbird Trap

Photo by USFWS; Chris Mensing

Management of jack pine forest continues in the Huron-Manistee National Forest, Hiawatha National Forest, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lands, and Michigan State lands. A total of 6,552 acres of jack pine habitat were regenerated through the combined efforts of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in 2010.

835 visitors from 38 States, Washington D.C., and 6 foreign countries attended U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Forest Service Kirtland's warbler guided tour programs in 2011. Follow this link for information about the guided tours.

The Kirtland's Warbler Recovery Team has a collaborative working relationship with Bahamians to document the warbler's wintering habitat and assure its protection in the Bahamas. In the Bahamas, over 230 Kirtland's warblers have been banded since the winter of 2002-2003.