Petit Manan (region 5), Matinicus Island (region 4), and Machias Seal Island 

 (region 6, ownership disputed by U.S.; Drury 1973). 



Laughing gull populations have never been high in Maine, comprising less than 

 250 pairs in 1977. This scarcity is perhaps due to the abundance of herring 

 gulls, which displace laughing gulls from preferred nesting locations (Nisbet 

 1973). More importantly, laughing gulls are at the northern end of their 

 range in Maine. Laughing gulls are always found nesting in association with 

 either common or arctic terns. 



The common puffin breeds in one colony at Matinicus Rock in region 4 (125 

 pairs). It also nests in proximity to the Maine coast at Machias Seal Island 

 in New Brunswick (1100 pairs estimated; personal communication from R. Newell, 

 Acadia University, Department of Biology, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada; 

 February, 1979). The National Audubon Society, in cooperation with Cornell 

 University, is attempting to reestablish the puffin on Eastern Egg Rock 

 (region 3), formerly the southernmost breeding colony. They are using 

 transplanted, hand-reared young from Newfoundland and decoys to attract 

 potential breeders. 



The razorbill (25 pairs) and the least tern (20 pairs) are the least abundant 

 breeding seabirds along the Maine coast. The razorbill nests on two islands 

 (one each in regions 4 and 6) and the least tern nests on two sand beaches on 

 the mainland (Popham Beach and Sprague River Beach in region 2). 



Common loons breed on inland lakes and ponds in all six regions, although they 

 are more abundant in regions 5 and 6 than in regions 1 to 3. A higher level 

 of human activity in regions 1 to 3 is presumed responsible for the lower 

 populations there (personal communicatione from B. Christenson, University of 

 Maine, School of Forest Resources, Orono, ME; March, 1979). 



Although seabirds nest on 321 islands in the characterization area the 

 majority of nesting birds of most species are found on far fewer islands. 

 Based on criteria jointly developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 (FWS), the University of Maine, and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries 

 and Wildlife, 127 islands have been designated "significant" breeding islands. 

 These islands contain single species colonies that comprise 1% or more of the 

 total breeding population of that species, or mixed species colonies whose 

 aggregate percentage is 1% or more of the total breeding population of all 

 species combined. These 127 islands contain over 90% of the total coastal 

 Maine breeding populations of Leach's storm petrels, laughing gulls, common 

 terns, arctic terns, razorbills, and puffins, and over 80% of cormorants, 

 eiders, and black guillemots (table 14-7). Approximately half of the breeding 

 populations of herring and black-backed gulls also nest on these islands. 

 Region 4 has the largest number of significant breeding islands (46) , followed 

 in decreasing order by regions 3 (20), 5(19), 6 (17), 1(17), and 2(8). These 

 islands are indicated by an asterisk in appendix table 1, and all 127 islands 

 are plotted on atlas map 4. A region by region account of the most important 

 islands follows. 



Region 1 has 17 major nesting islands. The five most important islands are 

 Outer Green, Stockman, Grass Ledge, White Bull Island, and Ram Island (Casco 

 Bay). 



14-13 



10-80 



