EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 



Colonial-nesting scabirds and wading birds arc important and conspicuous components of coastal eco- 

 S} stems. Surveys were conducted during the spring and summer of 1976 and 1977 to locate and describe all 

 nesting colonies of these birds from the Maine-Canada border to the southern boundary of Virginia. Both 

 aerial and ground methods were used by teams of experienced field observers to obtain the best possible 

 estimates of nesting populations. The maps and Tables in this atlas report the findings of these surveys. 



In the 10 States included in the surveys, 327,496 pairs of waterbirds of 30 species nested at 844 colony ' 

 sites. Maine, Virginia and New Jersey harbored the greatest numbers; New Hampshire, Connecticut, and 

 Delaware the fewest. The most abundant seabird species were herring and laughing gulls and common terns. 

 The least abundant species were Caspian and sandwich terns, razorbills and common puffins. Among the 

 wading birds, snowy egrets and black-crowned night herons were the most common. Great blue herons and 

 green herons are relatively scarce on the coast, but are more common at inland locations. 



Colony locations are shown on 7.5-minute quadrangle maps. The estimated number of breeding pairs 

 lor each species, the inventory date, and the survey method are listed in a Table immediately following each 

 Colony Map. Location, size, habitat, nesting substrate and ownership of each colony site are reported in 

 rcspectiv c fables. 



