Interesting Fact: The Kirtlands warbler was one of the first species to be listed as endangered after the Engangered Species Act of 1973 was passed by Congress.

Guided Tours :

Contact Information and Meeting Points for Tours:

Tour Dates: Tours run from May 15 to July 2. Tours are not offered on Memorial Day. The best time to see the bird is from May 20 to June 20.

Times: Daily starting at 7 a.m.

Fee: Passes and Permits Information Page. Funds from the tours stay on Forest to help cover costs associated with the tours.

Length of Tour: 3 hours for the Mio tour. Participants should arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the tour to obtain a pass. The tour begins with a brief video on the Kirtland's warbler and the management of the jack pine habitat. Participants then follow the tour guide in their own vehicles to a nesting area about 20 minutes away to try and see a singing male.

General Information and Recommendations for Tours: The nesting areas are closed to public entry, so the best opportunity to see a Kirtland's warbler is on this guided tour. Chances of seeing a bird on the tour are typically greater than 90%. The number of tour participants ranges from 1 to 30.

Upland sandpipers, clay-colored sparrows, Brewer's blackbirds, black-billed cuckoos, eastern bluebirds, Lincoln's and vesper sparrows can also be seen in the jack pine ecosystem.

Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars or a spotting scope. Cameras are allowed, but special efforts will not be made for photographers. Tape recorders, pets and smoking are not allowed. Early morning tours are often cold, so a warm jacket may make you more comfortable. Biting black flies are abundant in the nesting areas, so insect repellent, hats and bandanas are desirable.

Small groups create fewer disturbances and are preferred because they are more likely to see a Kirtland's warbler. No reservations are necessary, but we recommend contacting the Mio Ranger Station so that we can plan to have adequate staff present on the day you plan on attending.

Other activities include the Kirtland's Warbler Festival, held during May. For more information on the Festival, contact Kirtland Community College.

Jack Pine Wildlife Viewing Tour:

The Jack Pine Wildlife Viewing Tour is a self-guided, 58-mile auto tour through the scenic AuSable River Valley and unique jack pine ecosystem, home of the critically endangered Kirtland's warbler.

You have a special opportunity to see the summer home of one of the rarest birds in the world.  Even though their numbers have increased in recent years, there are still only about 3,000 of these birds left on the earth.

Even more amazing, each year from May through September nearly all of these endangered birds live and nest within a 50-mile radius of Mio, Michigan.  They spend the cold winter months in the Bahama Islands.

This auto tour not only takes you through areas inhabited by the endangered Kirtland's warbler, but through a variety of habitats providing opportunities to see many kinds of wildlife — from bald eagles and white-tailed deer to bluebirds and beavers.

The tour has twelve specific stops that are identified with the Watchable Wildlife Logo INSERT WILDLIFE LOGO. Several of these stops have scenic overlooks of the AuSable River, a world famous trout stream and home to river otters, eagles, great blue herons, and many other wildlife.

Chances are you will not see a Kirtland's warbler while driving this auto tour. The birds usually stay within their dense jack pine nesting habitat and the the habitat is closed to public entry during the nesting season. However, guided tours are available.  The tours are hosted by professional wildlife staff, and usually they can get you "up close and personal"with these rare birds.

For a full-sized version of the Jack Pine Wildlife Viewing Tour map: Jack Pine Wildlife Viewing Tour Map. This map is set to print at 8.5x11 in full color. If you do not wish to print the map in color you must adjust the settings on your printer.