During the 1977 nesting season 115 guinemot colonies were found with 

 estimated numbers ranging from 1 to 400 pairs. The estimated population was 

 2,668 pairs. Because of the difficulty of estimating nesting pairs of black 

 guillemots, population estimates given are presumed to be low. 



Guillemots appear to have extended their range westward as the population 

 increased. In 1969 and 1970 Drury (1973) found a few guillemots nesting on 

 Smuttynose Island in the Isles of Shoals group on the Maine-New Hampshire 

 border. 



Common puffin Maine islands represent the southern breeding limit of 

 common puffins. Puffins were abundant on some islands in Maine before 1860 

 (Norton 1923); however, no population estimate was made. Puffins were elimi- 

 nated from Maine islands by the millinery trade and by fishermen in the late 

 1800' s. 



At least six islands have been mentioned in the literature as being used 

 by nesting puffins. Norton (unpublished) reported that the only puffin colony 

 in Maine in 1903 was on Matinicus Rock. The population of puffins on Matini- 

 cus Rock has increased slowly during the last 75 years (Figure 11). Three or 

 four pairs nested in 1897, 2 pairs in 1901, 3 pairs in 1904, 20 pairs in 1937, 

 100 pairs in 1968-70, and approximately 125 pairs in 1977. Machias Seal 

 Island, an offshore island claimed by both the United States and Canada, has 

 been a nesting site for puffins for many years (Brown et al. 1975). Machias 

 Seal Island reportedly had about 30 pairs nesting in 1883 and 150 pairs in 

 1902. Since then the population has increased to about 750 pairs (Drury 1973). 

 A sharp drop in the nesting puffin population on Machias Seal Island was 

 reported during 1977 by the Canadian Wildlife Service. The cause of the 

 decline was u nknown. 



Gull predation is believed to be a major factor limiting the spread of 

 the puffin population in Maine (Drury 1973). 



OWNERSHIP OF WATERBIRD COLONY SITES 



In order to determine the potential amount of protection which can be 

 given to waterbird colonies, the ownership of nesting sites was obtained from 

 the Maine Bureau of Public Lands. Ownership was classified according to 

 public or private categories. The name of the governtrient agency or private 

 group was recorded when appropriate. 



Approximately 100,813 pairs of colonial waterbirds nested on the Maine 

 coast in 1977. Of those, 73,720 pairs (73%) nested on privately owned prop- 

 erty. Most black guillemots, great black-backed gulls, herring gulls. Leach's 

 storm-petrels, common eiders, and wading birds nested on privately owned sites 

 (Table 4). This pattern holds true for the number of colonies as well as for 

 the number of pairs of birds (Table 5). 



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