Table 16-8. Bird Species That Require Artificial Feeding for Successful 

 Overwintering in Coastal Maine. 



Ring-necked pheasant (stocked) 



Mourning dove 



Rock dove 



Mockingbird 



American robin 



Starling 



House sparrow 



Red-winged blackbird 



Rusty blackbird 



Common grackle 



Brown-headed cowbird 



Cardinal 



House finch 



Dark-eyed junco 



White-throated sparrow 



Song sparrow 



Relative abundance of terrestrial birds wintering in Maine from 1969 to 1977 

 is presented in table 16-9. The index shows differences in relative abundance 

 for each species compared to a base year (1976) which was given a value of 

 100. The northern finches (pine siskin, common redpoll, pine grosbeak, and 

 purple finch) show the greatest variability in abundance. With the exception 

 of the tree sparrow, the sparrows generally have synchronous increases and 

 decreases, particularly the song sparrow and white-throated sparrow. The 

 hairy and downy woodpeckers, crow, starling, and goldfinch show little 

 variation from one year to the next. The golden-crowned kinglet, yellow- 

 rumped warbler, cowbird, purple finch, and junco have been generally 

 decreasing, whereas the sharp-shinned hawk, mourning dove, northern shrike, 

 and pine grosbeak have been increasing. 



ASPECTS OF MIGRATION 



Migratory birds arrive on their breeding grounds in Maine during April and May 

 and depart for their wintering areas in late July, August, or September. 

 During the spring period many other birds pass through Maine enroute to 

 breeding areas farther north. 



Weather has a major effect on arrival and departure dates of migrants. 

 Inclement weather, particularly cold weather in early spring, adversely 

 affects insectivorous species by reducing food availability. For example, in 

 the spring of 1974 many scarlet tanagers died from starvation during a cold 



16-24 



