2023 First Place by Nakiah, Grade 7, The Bahamas.
The Kirtland’s Warbler Young Artists’ Contest (KWYAC) introduces K-8 students to the story of Kirtland’s Warbler, a rare migratory songbird that was nearly extinct before it was saved through an intensive conservation program. Students in Michigan, Wisconsin, Ontario, and The Bahamas learn about the bird's natural history, the ecosystems it depends upon, how migratory birds connect places and peoples, and the ways that human actions can support wildlife.
Participating students are invited to submit original artwork depicting Kirtland’s Warbler, or another aspect of its summer or winter homes, to an annual contest. Winning entries are assembled into a 15-month calendar, which is distributed to participating schools and local communities to spread appreciation for Kirtland’s Warbler and celebrate the students’ new awareness of their local environment.
The KWYAC began in 2003 and typically reaches over 2,000 students annually through in-person and virtual classroom visits and self-directed teacher presentations. Teachers interested in requesting a classroom visit should email [email protected]. The KWYAC is a collaboration of the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance, Kirtland's Warbler Festival, American Bird Conservancy, and Bahamas National Trust.
Participating students are invited to submit original artwork depicting Kirtland’s Warbler, or another aspect of its summer or winter homes, to an annual contest. Winning entries are assembled into a 15-month calendar, which is distributed to participating schools and local communities to spread appreciation for Kirtland’s Warbler and celebrate the students’ new awareness of their local environment.
The KWYAC began in 2003 and typically reaches over 2,000 students annually through in-person and virtual classroom visits and self-directed teacher presentations. Teachers interested in requesting a classroom visit should email [email protected]. The KWYAC is a collaboration of the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance, Kirtland's Warbler Festival, American Bird Conservancy, and Bahamas National Trust.
Contest Rules
- Only one entry per student. No group drawings are allowed.
- Eligible students must be in grades kindergarten through 8th grade.
- Entries must be original artwork.
- Entries must demonstrate an understanding of at least one of the following:
a. Kirtland’s Warbler;
b. The jack pine forest of Michigan, Wisconsin, or Canada where Kirtland’s Warblers breed;
c. The scrub habitat of The Bahamas where Kirtland’s Warblers winter;
d. Or anything that lives in these ecosystems. - All artwork should be in color, horizontally oriented, and completely fill one side of an 8 ½ by 11 sheet of white paper. There should be no writing or text on the artwork side of the submission.
- Copyrighted cartoon characters, such as Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl, cannot appear in entries.
- The annual contest deadline is 5:00 PM Eastern on February 28 (Saturday, February 28 in 2026).
Submitting Physical Entries (Michigan and Wisconsin)
- Clearly print ALL student information on the form provided below and TAPE TO THE BACK SIDE of each drawing. Do not use staples.
- Mail entries to: Kirtland's Warbler Festival, 6002 E. Houghton Lake Dr., Houghton Lake, MI, 48629.
- Mailed entries must be received by the contest deadline.
- More than one entry from a class or school may be mailed in the same envelope.
- Entries may be electronically scanned at 300 dpi or higher and emailed as a .jpg, .png, or .pdf to: [email protected].
- Please do not send snapshots of artwork.
- For each entry, include ALL student information on the form provided below.
- Upon submission, entries become the property of the Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team and are non-returnable.
- A community panel of judges will review each entry and award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as grade level winners and honorable mentions.
- Winners will be notified before the end of the school year.
- Overall winners and grade level winners will each receive a Kirtland’s Warbler prize package. Winning artwork will be used in the annual calendar and physically or virtually displayed in a variety of forums. The artwork may also be used for other promotional products and materials associated with Kirtland's Warbler conservation efforts.
