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| female KIWA |
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| Black stripes down sides |
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| Two white wingbars |
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| White crescents above and below eye |
A rare bird of the Michigan jack pine forests, the Kirtland's Warbler is dependant upon fire to provide the small trees and open areas that meet its rigid habitat requirements for nesting.
The Kirtland's Warbler requires areas with small jack pines for nesting. The jack pine requires fire to open its cones and spread its seeds. The warbler first appears in an area about six years after a fire when the new growth is dense and is about 5.0 to 6.5 feet high. After about 15 years, when the trees are 10.0 to 16.5 feet high, the warbler leaves the area.
Named after Jared P. Kirtland, an Ohio doctor and amateur naturalist. Nearly extinct just 50 years ago, it is well on its way to recovery. It requires large areas (> 160 acres) of dense young jack pine for its breeding habitat. This habitat was historically created by wildfire, but today is primarily created through the harvest of mature jack pine, and planting of jack pine seedlings.
Since the mid-19th century at least it has become a restricted-range endemic species. Almost the entire population spends the spring and summer in the northeastern Lower Peninsula of Michigan and winters in The Bahamas.
This unfortunately is not a life bird for me. But the first time in a long time I've seen one. It is an Ohio life bird though. Reviewing my records, I first saw them June 1983 in Grayling, MI in their breeding habitat. Then again, a second viewing July 1, 1989 in Grayling again. And I remember that trip. My father Buddy first saw KIWA May 25, 1978 in Grayling and grandparents Red & Louise saw the bird many times too. We where all together, the Gambill family dynasty.
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