Uh-oh moment: New study shows signs of significant inbreeding among Kirtland's Warblers

Email this morning brought us some news to be worried about: a new genetic analysis from researchers at Penn State shows considerable inbreeding among Kirtland's Warblers.

Why does this matter? Well, we know that inbreeding can bring forward all kinds of recessive genes resulting in various deformities. Inbreeding among 16 generations of the members of the House of Habsbergs led to Charles II of Spain having a jaw that was so badly deformed that he could not chew. An autopsy after his death claimed his heart was the size of a peppercorn. Other family members suffered from insanity and epilepsy.

The Habsbergs chose to breed inside the family to consolidate power. In the case of the Kirtland's Warblers, it seems that birds with similar genetic backgrounds bred with one another simply because there was no other option given the size of the population.

The researchers identified the inbreeding by looking for "runs of homozygosity" or long strands of identical DNA that would come from parents with similar genetic backgrounds.

There are no indications, however, that Kirtland's Warblers are turning into the Habsbergs. We have seen no signs of physical deformities, and we're not sure we would recognize insanity in a bird, so maybe it's best to let the press release from Science Daily warn us what to look for:

"The researchers noted that the Kirtland's warblers they sampled did not appear to have any physical deformities. However, they said that inbreeding could manifest during the stages of life they did not observe, for example during development or the energy-intensive task of migration, or impact aspects of their reproductive success, such as how many eggs they lay or how many hatch."

The researchers said that monitoring for these would be important to species survival.

Is there a solution? We're not sure, but lead researcher Anna María Calderón, a graduate student in biology in the Penn State Eberly College of Science, will be presenting her findings at the winter meeting of the Kirtland's Warbler Conservation Team in February. We'll report more after hearing what she has to say.

You can read the Science Daily press release here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241210142037.htm

You can make a difference!

It's Giving Tuesday, and if your email inbox is like mine, it's full of solicitations right now. So I won't waste your time: Here are two very good reasons why the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance is worthy of your support.

1. We accomplish what we say we are going to do. Four years ago, the Michigan DNR asked us to help them conduct the census by identifying, training and organizing volunteers to count Kirtland’s Warblers. With the assistance of our volunteers, the census finished ahead of schedule and the final count showed that the population of the Kirtland’s Warbler remains healthy and stable. It's not 2025 yet, but we're already gearing up for next year's census, which will be conducted in June.

2. The Kirtland's Warbler still needs your help. Yes, it's no longer endangered but many people fail to understand that conservation/jack pine management efforts must continue for as far as we can see into the future. If we've taken fire out of the ecosystem, we humans will need to manage the habitat on behalf of the Kirtland's Warbler and the other species that use the young jack pine as their habitat. It's critical that we help people understand the benefits to the ecosystem and to themselves.

Our to-do list for 2025 is pretty long. Besides helping to organize the Census, we will be hosting our annual Jack Pine Planting Day and making regular trips to Lansing to discuss Kirtland's Warbler conservation with members of the legislature.

I think we are an organization worthy of your support. We're lean, we're focused and we get stuff done -- stuff that directly benefits the Kirtland's Warblers. But if we are going to achieve our goals for the coming year, we will need your help. Please make a donation to the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance today. You can donate at kirtlandswarbler.org/make-a-donation or by mailing a check to The Kirtland's Warbler Alliance, 2310 Science Parkway, Suite 302, Okemos, MI 48864-2525.

We continue to be inspired by the passion that people like you have for Kirtland’s Warbler. Please help us move our work forward by making generous contribution to the Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance today.

From all of us at the Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance, thank you for your support!

The antidote to anxiety

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here, on this day before Thanksgiving 2024, we are thankful for the opportunity to work with you on protecting the Kirtland's Warbler, the under appreciated jack pine ecosystem and all of its inhabitants.

We recognize that this year that some of you are feeling more fearful than grateful. We've heard from several folks worried about what impact the most recent presidential election might have on conservation in general and Kirtland's Warbler conservation specifically. They're concerned about potential budget cuts and that appointees to run the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may not be as concerned about preserving our resources as the current administration.

We are concerned too, but the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance was created specifically to build support for our special bird regardless of who may be occupying the Oval Office or the governor's mansion. Our to-do list for 2025 is already long, but it's clear we are now going to have to double our efforts to educate members of Congress and the Legislature. We will continue to tell the story of the Kirtland's Warbler and point to the success of the Endangered Species Act. We will need to remind lawmakers that that landmark legislation still works.

If the election has you down, we might be able to provide something of an antidote. The answer to anxiety and depression is to do something concrete to make things better. We invite you to volunteer with us in 2025!

For us, this year's presidential election was a reminder that environmental organizations in the education/public awareness space, like the Alliance, need to be steadfast in our efforts to engage citizens and voters. Our mission, which is "To be a force for Kirtland's Warbler conservation," has taken on new importance. You can count on us to continue that mission with strength and purpose, and we hope you will join us as we get to work making a better future for the Kirtland's Warbler and conservation.