In 1966, the Kirtland’s warbler was listed as a federally endangered species; today, history is being made as this unique songbird may soon be delisted.
The Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service signed a memorandum of understanding in June 2011 to clarify each agency’s commitment to the conservation of the Kirtland’s warbler. Due to the potential for delisting, the three agencies decided it was necessary to develop a Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Plan (KWCP) that would provide future strategic guidance to sustain a viable population of Kirtland’s warblers across their breeding range.
The current habitat and brown-headed cowbird management programs have been successful in addressing the major threats to Kirtland’s warblers, and the KWCP will help transition management from the recovery phase to the new focus on long-term population sustainability. Kirtland’s warbler breeding habitat in northern Michigan is developed through timber harvest and reforestation, and annual control of cowbirds is required to prevent Kirtland’s warbler nest parasitism. The KWCP will provide goals and technical guidance to managers and others on how to create and maintain breeding habitat and control cowbirds, ensuring long-term survival for the Kirtland’s warbler.
Those who would like to provide input on the plan are invited to either:
Attend a public meeting July 9 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Grayling Nature Center, 100 South James St. in Grayling. A formal presentation about the history of the Kirtland’s warbler will be given starting at 5 p.m., and comments and questions will be received until 7 p.m.
“We will be revising the KWCP every 10 years to incorporate new information and science,” said DNR endangered species coordinator Dan Kennedy. “We hope all parties who have an interest in Kirtland’s warbler and the new plan will stop by the public meeting or send us a comment via email.”
The Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service signed a memorandum of understanding in June 2011 to clarify each agency’s commitment to the conservation of the Kirtland’s warbler. Due to the potential for delisting, the three agencies decided it was necessary to develop a Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Plan (KWCP) that would provide future strategic guidance to sustain a viable population of Kirtland’s warblers across their breeding range. 
