Why is the blackpoll warbler endangered?

Where do Colombia’s blackpoll warblers fly?

La Guajira Peninsula on Colombia’s northern coast is the first place many Blackpoll Warblers touch down after an incredible 1,800-mile flight south off the Atlantic Coast. It’s the longest recorded overwater journey of any songbird.

What is the problem with the Kirtland Warbler?

Kirtland’s Warbler. (Map courtesy of “Birds of North America,” maintained by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.) Key threats are fire suppression, brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds, and loss of habitat on the wintering grounds. Poorly sited wind turbines are also a growing hazard, especially during migration.

Are blackpoll warblers in decline?

Blackpoll Warblers are renowned for their migratory prowess, but they may be declining faster than any other land bird species in North America. One of the most common birds of the boreal forest, recent years have seen substantial declines in their numbers.

Where do blackpoll warblers fly in the winter?

In the fall Blackpoll Warblers fly nonstop from the Eastern Seaboard over the Atlantic Ocean to their wintering grounds in northern South America and the Caribbean. In the spring, they don’t make the epic transoceanic flight, instead they stop over in the Caribbean Islands and continue north over land to their breeding grounds in the boreal forest.

Where do Alaska warblers fly?

In August, the warblers leave Western Alaska and head east across Canada to the Maritime Provinces and the coast of New England. Then, the tiny songbirds fly over the western Atlantic, wings buzzing at 20 flaps a second.

What do Kirtland warblers need to breed?

Breeding Kirtland’s Warblers need dense young stands of pines that are six to 15 years old and five to 20 feet high, where the warbler nests on the ground in an open cup of grass, sedges, pine needles, and leaves. These birds forage among the trees at low- to mid-levels, eating insects, larvae, and small fruits like blueberries.

What kind of trees do Kirtland’s warblers live in?

For optimal breeding success, the Kirtland’s Warbler requires large areas-more than 160 acres-of dense young Jack Pine trees that are six to 15 years old and five to 20 feet high. Scientists speculate that the age and size of the Jack Pine trees may be important in concealing the birds’ nest, which is built on or near the ground.

How did the Kirtland Warbler get its name?

The handsome yellow-and-gray Kirtland’s Warbler is named for Dr. Jared Kirtland, whose Ohio farm provided the first specimen in 1851. Biologists finally discovered the first nest for the species in 1903, in northern lower Michigan. Kirtland’s Warbler has one of the smallest breeding ranges of any North American bird.

Why is the blackpoll warbler a common bird of concern?

The Blackpoll Warbler is a common bird of concern because it is experiencing sharp declines. It has declined by 92% since the 1970s and its half-life is estimated at only 16 years, which is relatively short.

What does a black and white warbler turn in the fall?

In the fall, this black-and-white warbler molts into yellow-green plumage and loses its black cap. Although still numerous, it has lost an estimated 88% of its population in the last 40 years.

How long does it take a blackpoll warbler to migrate?

They travel from Denali National Park and Preserve to South America, often flying nonstop for over 72 hours. Blackpoll warbler migration is monitored through the park’s Critical Connections program, which uses tiny geolocator tracking devises to learn more about species migration paths.

What kind of bird is an Arctic warbler?

The Arctic Warbler is one of the few species that breeds in North America and winters in Asia. Other such species include Pacific Golden-Plover and Northern Wheatear. The oldest Arctic Warbler was a banded bird at least 3 years, 1 month old when it was recaptured and re-released.

Where can I see an Arctic warbler?

The best way to see an Arctic Warbler is to head to Alaska (or northern Eurasia) and search for singing males during June or early July. Males return to breeding grounds in early or mid-June, and the breeding season is short.

Do Kirtland warblers migrate?

Kirtland’s warblers are picky birds. Each spring, they migrate from the Caribbean to large, dense clusters of young jack pine trees in Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario. They will only build nests in pine stands that are between 5 and 15 years old.

How can we save the Kirtland’s Warbler?

Keeping the Kirtland’s Warbler population on the road to recovery will require continuing programs to create young Jack Pine forests and reduce nest parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds. Meanwhile, since the 1990s, a multi-agency monitoring program in the Bahamas has been conducting research to learn more about the bird’s winter habitat.

What kind of trees attract Kirtland’s warblers?

For optimal breeding success, the Kirtland’s Warbler requires large areas — more than 160 acres — of dense young Jack Pine trees that are six to 15 years old and five to 20 feet high. Scientists speculate that the age and size of the Jack Pine trees may be important in concealing the birds’ nest, which is built on or near the ground.

How did the Kirtland’s warbler become extinct?

Intensive conservation, including suppression of Brown-headed Cowbirds, allowed the population to increase tenfold, and the species was delisted in 2019. Despite its low numbers, the Kirtland’s Warbler is surprisingly easy to find if you can locate its classic habitat of young, dense jack pine scrublands.

Where can I find a Kirtland Warbler?

Despite its low numbers, the Kirtland’s Warbler is surprisingly easy to find if you can locate its classic habitat of young, dense jack pine scrublands. During spring and early summer, males sing a curt, warbly song while perched in upper portions of pines, oaks, or dead trees.

What is a Kirtland Warbler?

Kirtland’s warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii), also known as the jack pine warbler, is a small songbird of the New World warbler family (Parulidae), named after Jared P. Kirtland, an Ohio doctor and amateur naturalist.

How did the Kirtland Warbler Recovery Plan of 1971 work?

In 1971 a recovery plan was developed. The plan entailed the management of state and federal land through clear cutting, controlled burning and planting jack pine to expand suitable nesting habitat for Kirtland’s warbler, as well as having the government acquire more land for this purpose.

What is a jack pine warbler called?

Kirtland’s warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii), which is recorded to have been known by local folk in Michigan by the common name jack pine bird, and is also known as the jack pine warbler, is a small songbird of the New World warbler family (Parulidae), named after Jared Potter Kirtland, an Ohio doctor and amateur naturalist.

Is the blackpoll warbler still the world’s most epic migrant?

It may not be as well-known as a monarch butterfly or as huge as a humpback whale, but the humble little Blackpoll Warbler surely deserves to keep its place among the world’s most epic migrants—as long as the planet continues to support it.