Took this a few weeks ago during a tour of the Kirtland's Warbler breeding area in Northern Michigan. This is the female. The male was singing loudly nearby. They are the rarest songbirds in North America and heavily protected. Because they will only nest under young Jack Pines, and Jack Pine cones open only through fire, they almost went extinct because of modern fire suppression. They are recovering (up to 2000 pairs) but will always be conservation dependent. I was thrilled to get a good shot of a female.
Awesome shot, and I'm glad to hear that things are looking up for the species. Presumably, prescribed burning is part of the management of their habitat?
@mjalkotzy Yes, some burning, but also they harvest some of the Jack Pines when they get too big and replant saplings. They also trap and kill Cowbirds in the area.
