ENDANGERED BIRDS

Kirtland's Warbler

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Tympanuchus cupido 

The Kirtland's Warbler is the most endangered warbler in North America. This rare warbler is found mostly in the State of Michigan, small numbers are breeding in another state, and a breeding site has been recently discovered in the central part of Ontario. Large efforts are being made to save these warblers.

One of the main problems is the Brown-headed Cowbird. It is laying its eggs in their nest, and when the young Brown-headed Cowbirds hatch, they destroy the Kirtland's Warbler's eggs.

Males have bluish-gray upper body parts, with dark streaks on the back, yellow bellies, and dark streaks on the flanks and sides. They have black cheeks and a distinctive, large and conspicuous broken white eye ring.

Females and juveniles are similar, but are browner on the wings and back and are not as boldly or brightly marked.

The Kirtland's Warbler measures about 5.5 to 5.9 inches in length, with a wingspan of 8.75 inches and weighs about 12 to 16 grams.

Their song is a clear and emphatic "chip- chip-che-way-o."

They mostly feed on insects and spiders, but will also feed on berries, as well as pine sap during the summer breeding season.

The Kirtland's Warbler breeds in scrubby jack pine and winters in low scrub, thickets, and (rarely) deciduous woodland.

Spends the spring and summer in their breeding range in Ontario, Wisconsin or Michigan, especially the northeastern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and winters in The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The female builds an open cup-shaped nest made of grass, sedges, pine needles, and pieces of leaves, lined with rootlets, plant fibers, and hair. It is placed in depression in ground, often with overhanging tuft of grass.

The female lays 3 - 6 white or buff eggs with varying amounts of fine brown spots concentrated around large end. She incubates them alone for 13 - 15 days.

SOURCES:
https://www.birds-of-north-america.net
https://en.wikipedia.org
https://www.allaboutbirds.org
https://www.sdakotabirds.com