Kirtland’s Warbler Tours

The Kirtland’s Warbler isn’t Michigan’s State Bird, but in the hearts and minds of many state residents, it is just that. Once living on the brink of extinction, the Kirtland’s Warbler has taken significant steps toward recovery, though it remains on the State Endangered Species list. A few counties in the northern Lower Peninsula represent its primary nesting area, but in recent years nesting pairs have been recorded in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin, and Ontario.

A male Kirtland's Warbler perches on a pine branch with faded pine branches and green in the background.

2024 Kirtland’s Warbler Tours
May 25 – June 30

Michigan Audubon, in collaboration with Hartwick Pines State Park, will offer Kirtland’s Warbler Tours in 2024. Tours will be held daily at 7 a.m. with an additional 11 a.m. tour on Saturdays and Sundays from May 25 through June 30. The tours are based at Hartwick Pines State Park just north of downtown Grayling. Tours cost $15 per person, and you must have a Recreation Pass to enter the State Park.

Tour sizes will be limited to 25 people, and participants must pre-register (registration opens February 2). 

Groups of 10 or more participants should contact Michigan Audubon directly at events@michiganaudubon.org to schedule a private 11 a.m. tour during the week.

Tours will meet at the Michigan Forest Visitor Center within Hartwick Pines State Park, where participants are given a brief orientation to the Kirtland’s Warbler and the jack pine habitat. Afterward, participants caravan to protected pine barrens for the chance to view the endangered warbler. Tours typically last 2.5 to 3 hours in duration.

Hartwick Pines State Park and the Michigan Forest Visitor Center are located on Hartwick Pines Road (aka M-93) just east of I-75. There is an approximate walk of five minutes up an inclined walkway to reach the visitor center from the parking lot. You can find a map and detailed information regarding Hartwick Pines on the Michigan DNR Website.

A Recreation Passport is required for entry to the park. Recreation Passports can be purchased beforehand through the State of Michigan here or onsite upon arrival at the park.

We have a high success rate of seeing the Kirtland’s Warbler. However, weather plays an important role, as they tend to stay down in the pine branches during inclement weather and severe heat. Our guides have even been able to locate the bird during inclement weather, so don’t cancel your plans because the sun isn’t shining.

Please be advised that you will park along the road and walk into the jack pine habitat on sand trails. Walking distance is usually less than one mile. The distance of foot travel will depend on where the birds establish their territory for the nesting season in the jack pine.

Please dress for weather conditions and wear good walking shoes or boots. You will be outside for approximately two hours, so sunscreen, insect repellent, and a hat are always recommended.

Out of respect for the bird and its well-being, our guide will not make special accommodations for professional photographers.

Are you looking for accommodations for the night in Grayling? There are many small motels and two chain hotels to fit your needs. Check the Grayling Visitor’s Bureau for information.

If you have questions regarding Kirtland’s Warbler Tours, please contact us at events@michiganaudubon.org.

Registration opens February 2, 2024. Link will go live then.

Other Kirtland’s Warbler Tour Locations

Other locations

Learn about other locations for seeing the Kirtland’s Warbler!

AuSable Valley Audubon will not be offering Kirtland’s Warbler Tours in 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions About KIWA Conservation

What will happen to the Kirtland’s Warbler population after delisting?

  • A post-delisting monitoring plan is in development, which will include a full population census throughout the Kirtland’s Warbler range. The census is planned for 2021, and for every fourth year through the delisting monitoring time period.
  • A recently formed Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team will continue to use the best available science to make recommendations for habitat management. This coalition is made up of partners from government agencies, bird conservation organizations, and academic scientists.
  • A full-life cycle conservation plan is in progress, which will help the Kirtland’s Warbler in its breeding grounds, wintering grounds, and at migration stopover sites. This plan will address habitat needs as well as socioeconomic factors important to the long-term management of this species.

Will habitat management continue to support the Kirtland’s Warbler?

  • Habitat management will continue, by Michigan DNR, U.S. Forest Service, and other entities. Kirtland’s Warblers depend on young stands of jack pine. “Young” refers to jack pine stands that are between 6 to 15 years, after a harvest or fire. Jack pines grow in dense stands after a fire, or after a harvest and planting regime, and Kirtland’s Warblers come into a young stand area when the trees are about 5 to 6.5 feet tall. Kirtland’s Warblers move on from a jack pine stand once it has grown to more than about 10 to 16.5 feet tall.
  • Agencies will continue to manage for habitat at a rate that will support a sustainable breeding population of Kirtland’s Warblers.
  • Research is in progress by agencies to assess the viability of Kirtland’s Warbler breeding use of red pine stands, as well as the use of jack pine where stands are planted at rates more economically viable. 

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