American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Jack Reinoehl
Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ottawa Co., OH (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II) 5/8/2008 © Darlene Friedman This species is sponsored by the Petoskey Regional Audubon Society The American Redstart shows distinct 17.3% of townships in the state. But is most widespread in the northern LP, where it was differences in its habitat preference in southern recorded in 85.88% of the townships. In MBBA and northern Michigan. In the UP and northern II, increases in detection over levels in MBBA I LP, it is an abundant breeder using a wide were noted in all regions. The biggest variety of forest and shrub habitats. It is fairly percentage increase was in the southern LP, common on the west side of the southern LP with 21.4% more townships reporting in MBBA and rather uncommon on the less forested II than in MBBA I. In the southeast, individual southeastern part of the state. In southern counties such as Washtenaw and Lapeer showed Michigan, it is largely restricted to wet particularly dramatic increases; from four to woodlands, primarily along streams. The nine townships and nine to 11 townships, American Redstart nests through the eastern and respectively. northern United States, and on both sides of the
U. S. – Canadian border with highest population Habitat surveys from MBBA I and Wisconsin densities in the northern part of its range. It (Elias 2006) indicate that the American Redstart winters widely south of the border of the United is found mostly in mixed and hardwood forest. States from the Caribbean and southern Mexico The rate of occurrence in coniferous forests is south to northern South America. This is a much lower. Moreover, the species is not familiar and conspicuous species, unlikely to be restricted to forest, since it is also found in wet, overlooked by atlassers. Its small territory size primarily deciduous shrublands. This of 0.1 hectares (Sherry and Holmes 1997) preference has allowed it to spread into areas means that several singing males can often be such as the Gratiot-Saginaw State Game Area, heard from one spot, contributing to the ease of where it was not found during MBBA I. In detection of this species. contrast, in Illinois the American Redstart is
found “most notably along major river Distribution corridors” (Kleen et al. 2004), and this applies The American Redstart occurs throughout to southern Michigan as well. Michigan, and breeding was confirmed in
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Jack Reinoehl
In surrounding states, this warbler shows a quite a bit between different parts of Michigan. variety of patterns of distribution, all consistent Consistent with observations from MBBA II, with the above observations. In Indiana and there has been a notable increase in the southern Illinois, the American Redstart is spread LP. In Hillsdale County, there was one uniformly, and in both states is found in no American Redstart found in Lost Nation State more than 20% of blocks sampled (Bruner 1998, Game Area and nine in the entire county during Kleen et al. 2004). In Ohio, it was found in MBBA I; in MBBA II, 20 were counted in Lost 45.7% of blocks, with the greatest Nation State Game Area alone (pers. obs.). concentrations in the north and west (Peterjohn Comparisons of BBS data show a decrease in and Rice 1991). The Ontario atlas showed this population in the northern LP; the UP shows a species ranging north almost to Hudson Bay, complex pattern of increase and decrease. with highest densities east of Lake Superior. Similarly, the redstart was detected with greater In nearby states, population trends are also frequency in their second atlas effort than mixed. American Redstart numbers are during the first (McLaren 2007) increasing in Wisconsin and southern Ohio (Elias 2006, Peterjohn and Rice 1991) but Breeding Biology decreasing in southern Indiana and Illinois The first American Redstarts arrive in southern (Bruner 1998, Kleen et al. 2004). According to Michigan in the first few days of May; seeing an Breeding Bird Survey data, population trends individual in April is quite unusual. At are more favorable in the Midwest than any Whitefish Point, the average arrival is 13 May other part of the country (Sauer et al. 2008). with greater numbers present after 20 May Over the entire continent, the species has shown (Granlund and Byrne 1994). Egg dates in a long-term decline of less than 1% per year, but Michigan are from late May into early July. this numerous species is not on any watch list at This species will renest if a nest is destroyed, this time. but it does not raise two broods (Sherry and Holmes 1997). In Lost Nation State Game Conservation Needs Area, Hillsdale County, individuals on territory The redstart is numerous in Michigan. Its sing until mid August, at a time when migrants population level is steady with noticeable from farther north are already starting to appear increases in areas where it has been less (pers. obs.). common. Therefore no specific management is needed. In southern Michigan, it would profit Abundance and Population Trends from actions which manage river-bottom habitat (Click to view trends from the BBS) for such species as the Cerulean Warbler. The American Redstart is a numerous species in Michigan. The Partners in Flight population estimates list only Ovenbird and Nashville Warbler among the warblers as more numerous in the state than the American Redstart, with Black-throated Green and Yellow-rumped Warblers about equal in numbers (PIF 2007). Between the two Michigan atlases, the state population has increased according to Breeding Bird Survey data, after decreasing between 1966 and 1979. Breeding Bird Survey trend maps show that the population change has varied
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Jack Reinoehl
Literature Cited Suggested Citation
Bruner, A.W. 1998. American Redstart Reinoehl, J. 2010. American Redstart (Setophagia ruticilla). In Castrale, J.S., (Setophaga ruticilla). In Chartier, A.T., J.J. E.M. Hopkins, and C.E. Keller. 1998. Atlas Baldy, and J.M. Brenneman (eds.). 2010. of Breeding Birds of Indiana. Indiana The Second Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas. Department of Natural Resources, Division Kalamazoo Nature Center. Kalamazoo, MI. of Fish and Wildlife, Nongame and Accessed online at:
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center