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Field Notes

Kirtland's Warbler
By Ms. Kaitlyn Shoemaker, 4 th Grade Student at Brandon Elementary, Martin Public Schools, Michigan

Kirtland's Warbler www.ownbyphotoyraphy.com

Kirtland’s warblers are an endangered species. They are a small, blue-gray, yellow bird. They only nest in Michigan in young jack pine trees. Some brown headed cowbirds lay their eggs in the Kirtland’s warbler’s nest, after knocking out the Kirtland’s warbler’s eggs. Kirtland’s warblers migrate to the Bahamas in the winter. In 1970 there were about 400 Kirtland’s warblers. Now there are about 3,000 of them. There are more Kirtland’s warblers now because we burn the forest. Warblers only nest by young jack pine trees and the jack pine trees don’t grow unless there is a fire. Cowbirds are trapped and the Kirtland’s warbler’s habitat is protected from house building. The 4th graders at Brandon Elementary think the Kirtland’s warblers should be the state bird because they are rare and only nest in Michigan.

Recap Questions
Q: Why do you think we want the Kirtland’s warblers to be the state bird?
A: Because they are rare and they only nest in Michigan.

Q: Why do we burn the forest?
A: Because if we don’t burn the seeds of the Jack pine trees they won’t grow, and we need to keep the tree population young.

Kirtland's Warbler nest www.ec.gc.ca

Q: What do you think the Kirtland’s Warblers look like?
A: They are small and are blue-gray and yellow.

Q: Why do the cowbirds knock out the Kirtland’s warbler’s eggs?
A: Because the cowbird babies are competing with the warbler babies for food.

Cowbird nest www.biologie.unfreiburg.de	Jack pine tree www.http://www.conifers.org/ pi/pin/banksiana3.jpg.com

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