The warblers are back! Warblers are a group
of active little birds that are often colorful, insectivorous, and (as their
name suggests) vocal. They spend the winter in exotic locales to the south, and
travel thousands of miles on their tiny wings just to raise their young in the
Northwoods. You may be wondering what attracts them all the way up here from
sunny Mexico and Costa Rica. Are you reading this on your deck? Then the answer
may be sucking your blood or buzzing in your ear at this very moment.
Blackflies. Mosquitoes. The warblers come
here for the feast. Moths, wasps, bees, caterpillars, larvae of all kinds, leaf
beetles, bark beetles, weevils, ants, aphids (and their honeydew), caddisflies,
craneflies, mayflies, stoneflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, locusts, and
gnats. During outbreaks of pests like the spruce budworm, warblers become rainbow-colored
exterminators.
Could we please have a resounding “Thank
You!” for the warblers? Let us put them
on a pedestal with spiders and bats and thank them all for eating insects.
Not only do warblers eat insects, but they
look and sound delightful while doing it. For those of you who are curious, the
bird songs mentioned at the beginning belong to, in order, Black-throated Green
Warblers, Ovenbirds, Northern Parulas, and Black-and-white Warblers.
If you would like to learn more, there are plenty
of opportunities every spring at the Chequamegon Bay Birding and Nature
Festival. There are over 100 activities and field trips planned for birders and
nature lovers of all skills and ages. Check out the field trips and register at http://www.birdandnaturefest.com/.
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