Birdseye maple is a highly prized decorative wood that is known for its distinctive figuring that resembles tiny eyes. It is one of the rarer and more expensive maple species due to its unique appearance and limited supply.
What causes the birdseye figuring?
The birdseye pattern is caused by small, dense knots that form in the wood early in the tree’s growth. These knots are dormant buds that did not develop into branches. The knots disrupt the growth of the wood fibers surrounding them, creating small circular or oval indentations that give the appearance of tiny eyes scattered across the wood surface. This disturbance in the wood grain results in the highly decorative birdseye figuring.
How frequently does birdseye occur in maple trees?
Birdseye maple is relatively rare because only a small percentage of maple trees develop these birdseye knots. Industry sources estimate that less than 5% of maple trees contain the figuring. The frequency can vary between specific maple species and geographic locations.
Sugar maple and black maple are the most common species found with birdseye figuring. Studies have found only 1-2% of sugar maples contain birdseye. The frequency may be slightly higher in black maple, with estimates around 5%. Other maple species like red and silver maple are less likely to develop birdseye.
The occurrence of birdseye also seems to depend on where the trees are grown. Some northern hardwood forest regions, like the Great Lakes states and Canada, have higher rates, while other areas may contain almost no birdseye maple.
Why is birdseye maple rare?
There are a few reasons why birdseye maple is relatively rare and limited in supply:
- Only some maple species develop birdseye
- It occurs randomly and infrequently in maple trees
- Foresters cannot intentionally cultivate trees with birdseye
- It cannot be detected until the tree is cut open
Maple species like sugar and black maple seem genetically prone to producing the birdseye figuring, while other maples like red and silver maple rarely exhibit it. Within these select species, only a small percentage of trees contain birdseye.
The formation of birdseye knots during tree growth is a random, natural process that cannot be intentionally induced or controlled by foresters. There is no way to tell if a tree contains birdseye while it is standing. The distinctive figuring is only visible when the wood is cut and sanded.
For these reasons, birdseye maple cannot be cultivated or produced on a large scale like other lumber grades. Finding trees with birdseye involves selectively harvesting maples likely to contain it and inspecting the wood for the figuring.
How is birdseye maple harvested?
Obtaining birdseye maple requires special selection and sawing of logs by lumber mills. The relatively low frequency and random occurrence of birdseye makes finding and recovering it challenging compared to normal maple lumber.
Foresters selectively log sugar, black, and other maple species most likely to contain birdseye. Logs are inspected closely and crosscut to expose the interior wood. When birdseye figuring is identified, the logs are cut to maximize the yield of the rare figuring.
Special sawing techniques like quarter sawing are used to create boards oriented to highlight the eye-like patterns. The sawing process results in significant waste since only a small interior portion of some logs contain usable birdseye material.
Birdseye maple supply and demand
The rarity and uniqueness of birdseye maple makes it highly desirable for fine furniture, musical instruments, gunstocks, veneers, and other decorative uses. The limited supply coupled with strong demand results in birdseye maple selling for a significant premium over regular maple lumber.
Prices for birdseye maple can be 5 to 10 times higher than normal maple. Prices of $6-10 per board foot are common for rough birdseye boards. That compares to $1-3 per board foot for regular hard maple lumber.
The supply of birdseye maple has decreased over the past century due to selective logging of maples likely to contain it. Sustainable forestry practices that restrict cutting of slow-growth hardwoods like sugar maple also limit birdseye availability.
Strong demand from custom woodworkers and limited supply results in birdseye maple selling for premium prices when available. The situation creates an incentive for illegal logging of maple stands likely to contain birdseye.
Geographic sources of birdseye maple
Birdseye maple is found mainly in northeastern North America within the natural range of maple species like sugar and black maple. The Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada is a major source area. Other significant supplying regions include:
- New England – Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
- Appalachian Mountains – Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia
- Upper Midwest – Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota
- Eastern Canada – Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia
These areas support extensive northern hardwood forests dominated by sugar maple and other maple species. Lumber mills in the region selectively harvest and saw birdseye maple when it is encountered.
Outside of northeastern North America, options for obtaining birdseye maple are very limited. Some specialty importers occasionally have access to small quantities of birdseye from Europe and Asia.
Alternatives to birdseye maple
The scarcity and high cost of birdseye maple motivates woodworkers to seek out alternative decorative woods. Some popular substitutes include:
- Curly maple – Maple with a wavy, curly grain pattern.
- Quilted maple – Maple with irregular wavy patterns that resemble a quilted pattern.
- Burl maple – Maple with wild, knotty burl grain patterns.
- Spalted maple – Maple with black fungal staining in the grain.
- Figured walnut – Walnut with curly, crotch, or burl grain.
These woods exhibit attractive figuring like birdseye maple, but they are generally more available and less expensive. However, none quite match the uniqueness and beauty of genuine birdseye maple.
Conclusion
In summary, birdseye maple is valued for itsrare, distinctive visual appearance but is challenging to obtain due to the randomness and rarity of the birdseye figuring in maple trees. Only a small percentage of sugar, black, and other maple species exhibit birdseye patterns, making it difficult to deliberately harvest. The limited supply coupled with strong popularity for decorative uses results in high prices and illegal logging. Birdseye maple is found mainly in northeastern North America in regions supporting maple forests. The scarcity and cost motivate woodworkers to seek out alternative figured woods, but none replicate the exceptional beauty of genuine birdseye maple.
