Warblers of the North Woods

By Hailey Burley, National Park Service

Voyageurs is home to many iconic North Woods species like moose, wolves, and beavers. However, a hidden gem of this park can be found scattered throughout our forest floors and treetops. Break out a pair of binoculars and hit the trails to experience the diversity of warblers Voyageurs has to offer.

Voyageurs National Park was identified as an Important Birding Area (IBA) by the National Audubon Society; over 240 bird species have been identified here, with 68 of those being Species of Greatest Conservation Need or Species of Conservation Concern.

American Redstart Warbler (Becky Matsubara/Flickr)

A recent study published in the journal Science found that while raptors and wetland birds have made comebacks, the number of birds in the United States and Canada has declined by 29 percent over the last 50 years. Among the worst-hit groups in the study were warblers.

The highest density of breeding warblers on the continent is found right here in Northern Minnesota, and with 24 species calling the park home, it is one of the most important protected areas in the state for species diversity and habitat conservation.

What exactly is it that draws these birds to the area? Voyageurs has an assortment of protected habitats, part of a swath of relatively untouched wild area stretching across much of northern Minnesota. Voyageurs is where the southern edge of the boreal forests meets the northern tip of the hardwood forests. The diversity of shapes, sizes, and species of trees provide a wide selection of nesting options.

Blackburnian Warbler (Matthew Smith/Flickr)

April provides a wonderful time to begin looking for warblers as they have molted into their flashiest colors and are ready to hit the runway of the North Woods to sing their hearts out. You’ll need to look high and low. “Warbler neck” is real. Your reward for dealing with mosquitos, black flies, and neck strain will be a gorgeous array of avian colors. Seldom seen at bird feeders, warblers’ main food source is insects which they follow on their migration.

While these pint-sized songbirds are some of my favorites to search for, many people often enjoy some of our larger species in the park. Over summers at the park, you’re likely to see Bald Eagles, Common Loons, Herring Gulls, and American White Pelicans.

Simply noticing the beauty of birds is a great step towards starting a lifelong journey of becoming a birder, and supporting the ongoing conservation of these species.

Black-throated Green Warbler (Silver Leapers/Flickr)

GETTING STARTED WITH BIRDING

A great place to start is by getting a field guide. If you’re going to bird in a specific area, check online or at a local nature center to see if they have a checklist of local birds. If you’re planning on birding in Voyageurs National Park, you can go to www.voyageurs.org/birding to see maps and download a checklist and bird guide.

It can help to set a plan by picking a bird and going to find it. The best way to do so is by using your field guide to pick one you’re reasonably sure lives nearby or by using the plethora of online resources like the “explore data” page on ebird.com. For birding around Voyageurs, a personal favorite spot of mine is the Echo Bay Trail.

I hope to see you out in the field, and looking up soon!

Yellow Warbler (Andrew Weitzel/Flickr)