INTRODUCTION 



Colonial waterbirds are a conspicuous and significant part of the 

 coastal environment. Even so, little effort has been made to evaluate 

 present breeding waterbird populations on a regional level and to compare 

 these with historical population levels. This report increases our knowl- 

 edge about nesting chronology, present abundance, population trends, and 

 colony distribution for 28 species of gulls, terns, skimmers, cormorants, 

 herons, egrets, ibises, and eiders along the northeastern U.S. coast 

 (Table 1). This report accompanies an atlas that includes locations of 

 all colonies and Tables showing the results of the 1977 inventory (Erwin 

 and Korschgen 1979). 



The study objectives were to: 1) inventory nesting waterbird colonies 

 in 1976 and 1977, 2) evaluate survey and census methods, 3) examine histor- 

 ical nesting records (1900 to present), 4) describe nesting chronology, 5) 

 make management recommendations for the conservation and protection of 

 nesting colonies. 



