ABSTRACT 



During the nesting seasons of 1976 and 1977, personnel of the Maine 

 Cooperatve Wildlife Research Unit inventoried waterbird colonies along the 

 coast of Maine. This survey was part of a larger effort sponsored by the 

 Office of Biological Services to survey all colonial waterbird colonies 

 from the southern border of Virginia to the Maine-Canada border during 

 1976-1977. A total of 353 colony sites was found that contained 100,813 

 pairs of birds. Nineteen species nested in the study area. A count of 

 nests or adult birds made during on site inspections of the colonies was 

 the best inventory technique. Species abundance and nesting locations 

 are listed. 



Population trends of sea and wading birds since 1900 are based on pub- 

 lished and unpublished reports which are included on microfiche cards at 

 the back of this report. Populations of most seabird species have increased 

 whereas wading birds have probably decreased. Nesting chronology of water- 

 birds is depicted in diagrams. Seventy-five percent of the waterbirds in 

 Maine nested on privately owned sites. 



KEY WORDS 



Waterbirds Herons 



Islands Egrets 



Birds Colony 



Gulls Breeding pairs 



Terns Population estimates 



Alcids Chronology, nesting 



Eiders Seabirds 



Cormorants Wading birds 



Storm-petrels Maine 



