Restoring Hope

Protecting the Cerulean Warbler

In March of 2025, a brand-new cooperative effort was launched to help coordinate and expand these efforts. Known as the Southern Indiana Cerulean Warbler BirdScape (SICWB), this collaborative effort involves experts from more than a dozen organizations across three countries.

This collaborative conservation effort is less than a year old, but is already making significant contributions to conservation. Envisioned as a multi-year effort, the goal is to reverse the declines of Cerulean Warbler within the BirdScape geography of south-central Indiana, to improve the quality of our oak-hickory forests, and to benefit many other species of birds and other wildlife in the region as well. It is inspiring to see what we can accomplish when we come together and have so many great people and organizations working towards shared goals.

Reversing the Decline

Conservation Where It Matters Most

Efforts to date have focused on 425,000 acres in south-central Indiana where the ceruleans have the best remaining stronghold in the state. Known as the Cerulean Warbler “BirdScape”, this acreage is centered around Brown County, and includes some of the most heavily forested lands remaining in Indiana. If the Cerulean Warbler is to remain as a breeding bird in Indiana, it will be here in the forested, rugged terrain of southern Indiana. Yet, even here, the birds’ population is in decline.