Kirtland's Warbler Alliance

10/12/2026

🌴☀️ Greetings from the Bahamas!

While some of us are pulling out our sweaters and preparing for another Michigan winter, many of the Kirtland's Warblers are already enjoying a much warmer climate!

By mid-October, the vast majority of these tiny travelers have already completed their remarkable fall migration from Michigan to their wintering grounds, primarily in the Bahamas.

And here's something amazing: These little birds weigh about a half an ounce, yet they travel more than a thousand miles to reach their winter home!

Even more impressive? Come spring, many will return to the very same general area of Michigan's jack pine forest to raise another generation of Kirtland's Warblers.

✈️ No luggage. No boarding pass. No TSA. No frequent flyer miles. Just one incredible little bird!

Enjoy your winter and stay safe, Kirtland's Warblers. We'll see you back in Michigan (Wisconsin and Ontario, too!) next spring!



Photo credit: The Birds of Abaco https://abacobirds.com/

08/25/2026

Even in migration, Kirtland’s Warblers tend to use low vegetation—generally within about 20 feet of the ground—rather than high forest canopies.

Follow Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance and help us keep this remarkable bird in Michigan.

(Photo credit: Howard Wu, Baltimore, MD, Fall 2021)

08/06/2026

Update #4 from last week's Kirtland's Warbler Conservation Team meeting in Grayling, MI:

We're sure you know from past posts that geolocators can collect approximate data on a bird's location while it is wearing the device. But through a recent technological advance the device now also collects data on barometric pressure. Information gathered from barometric pressure data will provide us with a deeper understanding of the movements of an individual Kirtland's Warbler by identifying the exact date and time a bird departs on their spring and fall migrations. In fact the barometric pressure data is so exact, researchers can determine when a bird was foraging for food in treetops because it can detect the oh-so-slight difference in the barometric pressure on the ground level and at the top of a 60-foot tree!

Photo Credit: Ward Laboratory, The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

08/05/2026

Update #3 from last week's Kirtland's Warbler Conservation Team meeting in Grayling, MI:

Preliminary results from a study that uses data retrieved from recovered geolocators that had been mounted on Kirtland's Warblers showed that the birds took a one-to-three week rest once they passed over the Appalachians on their fall migrations. What was interesting about this was that the locations of these layover spots seemed to align with established national forests. The birds likely stopped in these locations to refuel before they reached the Atlantic coast and entered into the most dangerous part of their migration -- the jump from the Carolinas to The Bahamas. We can't say for 100 percent certain that the data align with the borders of the national forests because the geolocators have an accuracy range of about 50 kilometers, but... Some additional sleuthing is necessary to really hone in on the locations. If we can accurately identify the locations, we can work to protect them for future migrations.

Map image: Cornell Lab All About Birds https://tinyurl.com/kiwa-migration

08/04/2026

Update #2 from last week's Kirtland's Warbler Conservation Team meeting in Grayling, MI:

We just learned that there are three races of jack pine trees. As we have discussed here previously, jack pines have serotinous cones, meaning they are held shut with a resin. This matters because each race has a different level of serotiny -- meaning that the cones will open to release their seeds under different levels of heat. The race with the lowest level of serotiny will open its cones on a hot summer day, while the cones on the other two will remain shut awaiting the intense heat of a wildfire to open.

Photo credit: Prairie Restorations

08/03/2026

Last week, Bill Rapai and Ray Stocking attended the Kirtland's Warbler Conservation Team summer meeting in Grayling, MI. Many amazing updates from the conservation team were shared. Below is the first of several key updates presented at this meeting, starting with this new revelation:

Female Kirtland's Warblers have less site fidelity than males. Why does this matter? We all know that the warblers' low population numbers put the birds in more danger because fewer birds means a higher chance of interbreeding, which has all kinds of negative implications. But if the males prefer to return to a specific area every year and females are less likely to do that, that acts as a hedge against too much interbreeding. Nobody knows why there's this difference between the two sexes. This is speculation on our part, but it could be that the females prioritize the quality of habitat over the quality of the male.

(Photo credit: Jeff O'Connell)

07/29/2026

Have you seen a Kirtland's Warbler yet this year? If not, there is still time. But that time is running out. Kirtland’s Warblers gradually start leaving the breeding grounds in mid-to-late August, beginning their southbound journey back toward the Bahamas. (Photo credit: The American Bird Conservancy)

07/22/2026

BIG NEWS! Warbl***r is BACK in the nest for a limited summer batch! 🐦🍺

Calling all bird watchers, Kirtland’s Warbler fans, and conservation-minded travelers heading north this summer — make The Highway Brewing Co. your first stop off I-75 in West Branch, MI.

They have created yet another batch of their famous Warbl***r b**r:
*5.4% ABV, 5 IBU – easy-drinking and perfect for summer
*Blueberry dry-hopped l***r brewed with Northern Brewer hops and flaked corn
*Crisp, refreshing, with a subtle berry twist

And here’s the best part: for every pint of Warbl***r sold, The Highway Brewing Co. will donate $1.00 to the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance to support conservation and education of this magical bird.

So whether you’re heading up north to spot the elusive Kirtland’s Warbler, on a long weekend, or just looking for a unique local b**r, swing off I-75 and visit The Highway Brewing Co. in West Branch. Raise a glass, help protect a species of concern, and enjoy a limited-release l***r while it lasts! 🌿🍻

***r **r

07/15/2026

Adult Kirtland’s Warblers may keep feeding fledglings for up to six weeks, guiding them through the dense jack pine habitat as they learn to forage.

(Photo credit: American Bird Conservancy)

07/01/2026

Supporting a good cause, and a great opportunity to volunteer some hours.

We are looking for a volunteer to wear the Kirtland's Warbler costume in Roscommon's 4th of July parade. Are there any students out there that need voluteer hours? If you are interested, contact Tracy at the Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber. 989-275-8760.