Brief Summaries of Tern Restoration Activities on Managed Islands:
- Petit Manan Island
- Ship Island
- Metinic Island
- Pond Island National Wildlife Refuge
- Matinicus Rock
- Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge
- Machias Seal Island
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| Credit: USFWS |
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Introduction Brief Summaries of Tern Restoration Activities on Managed Islands:
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Arctic, common, and roseate tern populations were decimated in the Gulf of Maine in the late 1800's due to a combination of shooting and egging for food and bait, and feather collection for the millinery trade. When these activities were halted in the early 1900's, tern populations increased on the Maine coast, reaching peak numbers of at least 14,775 pairs in 1931 (including Machias Seal Island). However, expanding gull populations and habitat loss along the coast resulted in a significant population decline over the next 50 years. The prevalence of open landfills along the coast of Maine allowed herring and great black-backed gulls to produce a greater number of chicks. These chicks also experienced greater survival rates due to the abundance of food during the winter months. Both species are effective predators of tern eggs and young, and their presence can lead to complete nesting failure or island abandonment by many species of seabirds. Gulls initiate nesting earlier in the season than terns, forcing the terns to nest in marginal habitat. As a result, terns may be more vulnerable to increased predation, inclement weather, and tides. Researchers estimated that the Gulf of Maine population of gulls to be 10,000 pairs at the turn of the century, however, by the late 1970's this number had increased to 100,000 pairs. The combination of predation, competition for nest sites, and habitat loss reduced the Gulf of Maine tern population to only 5,321 pairs in 1977. Since 1977, an implemented management plan developed by the Gulf of Maine Seabird Working Group (GOMSWG) has worked to reverse this decline. Members of GOMSWG include Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), College of the Atlantic (COA), National Audubon Society (NAS), Maine Audubon Society, (MAS), Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Members of GOMSWG have utilized numerous techniques to re-establish terns to their former nesting islands. The first objective was to make islands that formerly supported nesting terns, safe for the birds once again. In some cases, maintaining a human presence on the island to discourage nesting gulls was sufficient to allow the terns to re-colonize the site. Small populations of gulls have been controlled through egg and nest destruction, pyrotechnics, and limited shooting. However, if the gull population had grown too large, GOMSWG members utilized avicide (DRC 1339), placed on bread cubes within the gull nests. This method allowed managers to remove the breeding population of gulls in a relatively short period of time. As soon as the population of breeding individuals is removed from the island, it is possible to keep the gulls from re-establishing the island as a nesting colony through continued harassment and nest destruction. If the terns had recently abandoned the island, they may return to the island rapidly once the gulls are gone. However, some islands had not supported nesting terns in decades. In these situations it was necessary to actively attract the birds to the site using social attraction equipment. Sound systems were erected to continuously play the sounds of a tern colony, and tern decoys were scattered throughout the area. This method of re-establishing a tern colony has shown to be highly effective on several islands within the Gulf of Maine. Removal of the breeding gulls from the nesting islands has also allowed numerous other seabird species (e.g. laughing gull, eider, petrel, puffin, razorbill, and guillemot) to re-colonize the islands.
Within the time period 1984 and 2003, the Maine population of common terns increased 121% (2,543 5,632 pairs); Arctic terns increased 87% (1720 3,225 pairs), and roseate tern population increased 216% (76 240 pairs). An additional 3,323 pairs of terns (Arctic and common) nest on Machias Seal Island. Members of GOMSWG have also identified the need to maintain numerous seabird colonies along the Maine coast. Increasing the geographic distribution and the number of managed colonies would minimize the potential for a single catastrophic event (i.e. oil spill or disease) from devastating a significant percentage of the population.
Although significant progress has been made in restoring terns and other seabird species to their historic levels, our population objectives have yet to be reached. Roseate terns remain listed as an endangered species by both the Federal government and the State of Maine. Atlantic puffin, razorbills, and Arctic terns are currently listed as threatened by the State of Maine. Leach's storm petrels, laughing gulls, and common terns are currently listed as special concern species in Maine. In addition, over 90% of common, Arctic, and roseate terns, and all laughing gulls and Atlantic puffins nest on the ten managed seabird restoration islands (6 are part of Petit Manan NWR). Outside of Alaska, over 97% of the Arctic terns nest on four PMNWR islands. Within the United States, 98% of Atlantic puffins nest on four PMNWR islands. Roseate terns remain a particular concern, as 85% of the 240 endangered roseate terns nesting in Maine, nest on two islands. Maine represents the southern extreme of the breeding range for several species of seabirds (i.e. Atlantic puffin, razorbill, and black guillemot) and the northern extreme for others (i.e. laughing gull). Species such as Arctic tern, Leach's storm petrel and common eider breed as far south as in Massachusetts, but only in very low numbers.
Brief Summaries of Tern Restoration Activities on Managed Islands:
The information reported in the following island summaries and tables reflects data collected by National Audubon Society (NAS), College of the Atlantic (COA), Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service).
Petit Manan Island
Petit Manan is a 16 acre island located approximately 3 miles south of Petit Manan Point in Steuben. This island has historically been one of the most important colonial seabird nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine. The Service acquired this historic lighthouse station from the US Coast Guard in 1974. Significant numbers of nesting terns had historically nested on PMI, including 1,500 nesting pairs observed in 1971. However, when human presence on the island ended with automation of the light station in 1972, the numbers of nesting gulls gradually increased to the point they excluded all nesting terns by 1983. The Service initiated gull control in 1984. Within a week of the DRC 1339 application, the terns had returned to the island, where they continue to nest today. Green Island, owned by MDIFW, is connected to Petit Manan by a cobble bar. For much of the past twenty years MDIFW and the Service have managed the two islands as a single unit. The Service continued varying levels of gull control (i.e. poisoning) on Petit Manan and Green Islands between 1984-1990.
The seabird colony has continued to grow, and in 2003 the island supported 1,213 pairs of common terns (COTE), 799 pairs of Arctic terns (ARTE), 31 pairs of roseate terns (ROST), 28 pairs of Atlantic puffins (ATPU), and 1,123 pairs of laughing gulls (LAGU). For the first time, we were able to document razorbills nesting on the island. The number of common murre and razorbill visiting the island has been increasing each season, but this was the first documented breeding effort for razorbills. Leach's storm petrels, black guillemots (BLGU), and common eiders also nest on PMI. Researchers and students from the College of the Atlantic conducted research and monitored the colony on PMI between 1984 - 1998. In 1999, the USFWS assumed full management authority on PMI.
A census of the 10 acre Green Island documented 581 pairs of common eider. Research has shown that the ducklings produced on Green Island and reared around the gull free environment of PMI represent approximately 80% of all the ducklings produced in this region of the coast (Kim Mawhinney 1998 Progress Report). In 2002, the Refuge, MDIFW, and USGS initiated a survival and recruitment study of common eiders nesting on Petit Manan, Green, and Metinic Islands. During the first two years of the project, over 4,793 birds were banded.
Tern Recovery at Petit Manan Island
Petit Manan Island Seabird Census Figures 1984-2003
(Number of Nesting Pairs)
| Date | ARTE | COTE | ROST | BLGU | ATPU | LAGU |
| 1984 | 450 | 410 | 8 | 16 | 9-13 | 200* |
| 1985 | 756 | 619 | 22 | 45 | 57 indiv. | 200* |
| 1986 | 730 | 759 | 31 | 74 | 1 | 408 |
| 1987 | 673 | 752 | 38 | 85 | 1 | 400* |
| 1988 | 659 | 806 | 42 | -- | 1 | 400* |
| 1989 | 771 | 943 | 45 | 103 | 1 | 449 |
| 1990 | 729 | 1093 | 48 | 79 | 7 | no count |
| 1991 | 584 | 1362 | 52 | 155 | 2 | 291 |
| 1992 | 667 | 1137 | 61 | 150 | 4 | 422 |
| 1993 | 560 | 1371 | 65 | 134 | 11 | 505 |
| 1994 | 655 | 1328 | 60 | -- | 9 | 471 |
| 1995 | 796 | 1355 | 61 | 156 | 13 | 487 |
| 1996 | 723 | 1132 | 24 | 116 | 12 | 434 |
| 1997 | 417 | 1289 | 29 | 75 | 10 | 508 |
| 1998 | 318 | 1079 | 19 | 82 | 19 | 509 |
| 1999 | 580 | 908 | 28 | 114 | 24 | 661 |
| 2000 | 474 | 962 | 16 | 100-120* | 17 | 794 |
| 2001 | 622 | 859 | 16 | 100-120* | 17 | 961 |
| 2002 | 671 | 990 | 27 | 100-120* | 20 | 838 |
| 2003 | 799 | 1,213 | 31 | 100-120* | 28 | 1,123 |
* Numbers are estimates
Roseate Tern Recovery on Petit Manan Island Compared to Coast of Maine
Ship Island
Ship is an 11 acre island within Blue Hill Bay, which is connected by a bar at low tide to three acre Trumpet Island. Historically Ship Island supported over 300 common tern nests, while an additional 500 pairs nested on Trumpet Island. However, by the 1930's gulls had eliminated all nesting by terns. In 1993, a tern restoration project was initiated through a cooperative agreement with The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquired Ship and Trumpet from TNC in 1994 and gull control continued through 1995. After more than a 50 year absence, terns returned to Ship Island in 1995 when a single pair of common terns nested. The colony continued to grow and in 1999, 558 pairs of common terns nested. For unknown reasons, the terns did not nest on Ship Island in 2000. Several pairs did initiate egg laying, but all nests were abandoned early in the season. In 2001, the Refuge set up social attraction equipment in an effort to draw the terns back to the site. The attraction equipment worked and during the GOMSWG census we counted 267 common tern nests. Shortly after the census a mink swam out to the island and caused wide-scale colony abandonment. Only four tern chicks fledged from Ship Island in 2001. The Refuge had numerous traps set around the island throughout the nesting season, but we were unable to trap the predator. Prior to the 2002 and 2003 nesting seasons, the Refuge set numerous mammal traps on Ship Island to try and make the island "predator free" before the terns arrived. Initial response by the terns looked promising both years, and approximately 120 terns were routinely visiting the island and numerous nests had been laid. Unfortunately, a short eared owl was observed on the island in 2002 and the terns completely abandoned. In 2003, a mink visited the island in June and once again eliminated all tern nesting efforts. Considerable effort have been spent trying to trap the mink on Ship and Trumpet Islands, but it appears the animal(s) swim from nearby islands once the terns are nesting. The island is managed by the Service.
| Year | Common Terns |
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 41 |
| 1997 | 478 |
| 1998 | 500 |
| 1999 | 558 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 267 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 78 |
Metinic Island
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquired 149 acres of the 330 acre Metinic Island in 1994 and 1995 from the Conservation Fund. The island, located 12 miles southeast of Rockland, has been grazed by sheep for generations and approximately 150 sheep remain on the island. Although Arctic and common terns have continued to nest on the island the presence of nesting gulls has significantly limited the productivity of the colony. The Service initiated a tern restoration project using social attraction equipment on the north end of the island in 1998. Continuous sheep grazing had significantly reduced the vegetation to almost bare ground. A five acre "peninsula" was fenced to allow the vegetation to recover and provide some shelter for the terns. Although terns landed among the decoys and sound system, no nesting occurred within the fenced area in 1998. However, in 1999 one pair of common terns and two pairs of Arctic terns nested adjacent to the decoy area. Later in the season, an additional nine pairs of terns nested near the decoy area. The colony has continued to grow rapidly, and during the 2003 breeding season, 317 pairs of common terns, 229 pairs of Arctic terns, and two pairs of Roseate terns nested on the north end. Terns continue to nest on the south end of the island, and in 2003, where 17 pairs of terns were documented nesting among herring and great black backed gulls. Gull predation is thought to significantly limit the productivity of the birds nesting on the southern portion of the island. In 2002, the Refuge, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and U.S. Geological Survey initiated a survival and recruitment study of common eiders nesting on Petit Manan, Green, and Metinic Islands. During the first two years of the project, 4,793 birds were banded. The island is managed by the Service.
|
Year |
North End |
South End | |
|
Common Tern |
Arctic Tern |
Common and Arctic Tern | |
|
1996* |
2 |
30 |
Not surveyed |
| 1997 | 1 | 3 | 95 |
| 1998** | 0 | 0 | 117 |
| 1999 | 1 | 2 | 108 |
| 2000 | 41 | 33 | 46 |
| 2001 | 32 | 79 | 20 |
| 2002 | 126 | 104 | 14 |
| 2003 | 317 | 229 (+ 3 pairs roseates) |
17 |
* 1996 represent the first season the Refuge hired someone to live on the north end of the island
to monitor terns and destroy gull nests
** First season that Refuge utilized social attraction equipment
Pond Island NWR
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquired Pond Island from the US Coast Guard in 1973. The 10 acre island is located in the mouth of the Kennebec River, and until 1937 supported a common tern colony. North and South Sugarloaf Islands are within a quarter of a mile from Pond Island and until 1987 supported both roseate and common terns. At one point in time, North Sugarloaf was the largest roseate colony in Maine. The terns were displaced by nesting gulls on all three islands, until the restoration program was initiated on Pond Island in 1996. One pair of common terns nested in 1996, and five pairs nested in 1997, however none of these nesting attempts produced any chicks. In 1998, when the one pair of terns nesting on Pond failed to hatch their eggs, NAS transplanted two common Tern chicks from the nearby Jenny Island. The chicks were immediately cared for by the adults, and later fledged from the island. In 1999, Pond Island produced its first tern chick in more than 60 years, when 10 pairs of common terns successfully nested. Eleven additional pairs nested later in the season, with a total of 20 chicks produced. The colony has continued to grow and in 2003 supported 310 common terns and two pairs of roseate terns. Unfortunately the island continues to experience significant great horned owl predation, as well as occasional mammal predation. Pond Island is cooperatively managed by National Audubon Society and the Service.
| Year | Common Terns |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 5 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 10 |
| 2000 | 33 |
| 2001 | 135 |
| 2002 | 109 |
| 2003 | 310 (+2 pairs of roseate) |
Matinicus Rock
Matinicus Rock is a 27 acre island which has been owned by the U.S. Coast Guard for over 155 years. The USCG transferred the island to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1999. The island is located 25 miles south of Rockland, and is the site of the historic Matinicus Rock Light Station. The island was staffed by the USCG until light automation in 1984. Matinicus Rock was the only puffin colony (2 pairs) within Maine to have survived the market hunting that decimated most seabird colonies. Since 1900, Matinicus Rock has been a principal breeding site for Arctic Terns on the Maine coast. In 1901, there were approximately 500 pairs of terns, and the population had increased to approximately 3,000 pairs by 1931. By 1990, 1,252 pairs of Arctic terns nested on Matinicus Rock. During the early 1990's the colony experienced a decline in the nesting population which was likely associated with the dramatic increase in nesting terns at the nearby Seal Island NWR. In 2003, 188 common terns and 1,022 arctic terns nested on Matinicus Rock. The island also supports 596 pairs of laughing gulls, 256 pairs of Atlantic puffin, and 211 pairs of razorbills. The island continues to be cooperatively managed by National Audubon Society and the Service.
| Year | Common Tern | Arctic Tern | Razorbill | Laughing Gull |
| 1984 | 50 | 651 | -- | 114 |
| 1987 | 20 | 847 | -- | -- |
| 1988 | 38 | 981 | -- | 225 |
| 1989 | 53 | 1166 | -- | 200 |
| 1990 | 25 | 1252 | -- | 203 |
| 1991 | 200 | 1161 | 15 | 181 |
| 1992 | 146 | 991 | 27 | 231 |
| 1993 | 95 | 1000 | -- | 271 |
| 1994 | 218 | 1049 | 52 | 290 |
| 1995 | 247 | 990 | 47 | 285 |
| 1996 | 148 | 865 | 59 | 358 |
| 1997 | 90 | 934 | -- | 322 |
| 1998 | 97 | 791 | -- | 343 |
| 1999 | 102 | 968 | -- | 367 |
| 2000 | 176 | 1030 | 136 | 355 |
| 2001 | 147 | 1014 | 159 | 417 |
| 2002 | 198 | 999 | 168 | 624 |
| 2003 | 188 | 1022 | 211 (+ 256 puffin) |
596 |
Seal Island NWR
Seal Island NWR is a 65 acre rocky island located just six miles east of Matinicus Rock, in outer Penobscot Bay. Seal Island was once the largest Atlantic puffin colony in the Gulf of Maine. For over 200 years it was also a summer campsite for fishermen harvesting herring, groundfish, and lobster. The fishermen also used their nets to harvest the nesting seabirds, which led to the demise of the colony by 1887. The island was eventually recolonized by cormorants, gulls, and terns. However, by 1953 the growing gull population had completely displaced all nesting terns. From the 1940's to the early 1960's the Navy used the island as a bombing target. The US Fish and Wildlife Service acquired the island in 1972. After six years of gull control and tern attraction using decoys and tape recordings, 20 pairs of Arctic and Common terns nested at Seal Island in 1989. The colony has increased dramatically since 1989, with 1,022 pairs of Arctic terns and 1,283 pairs of common terns nesting in 2003. In recent years, a single pair of roseate terns has also nested on the island. Between 1984 - 1989, NAS translocated 950 puffin chicks from Newfoundland to Seal Island. Puffins first successfully bred on Seal Island in 1992. In 2003, the island also supported 231 pairs of puffins and one pair of razorbills. The island continues to be cooperatively managed by National Audubon Society and the Service.
| Year | Arctic | Common | Roseate | Razorbill | Puffin |
| 1989 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 180 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 281 | 369 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 383 | 321 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 1993 | 544 | 427 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 1994 | 482 | 481 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| 1995 | 517 | 645 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| 1996 | 956 | 780 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| 1997 | 773 | 1024 | 0 | 0 | 60 |
| 1998 | 1046 | 927 | 0 | 0 | 78 |
| 1999 | 1082 | 955 | 1 | 1 | 115 |
| 2000 | 890 | 1205 | 1 | 1 | 126 |
| 2001 | 860 | 1197 | 1 | 1 | 146 |
| 2002 | 1057 | 1582 | 0 | 1 | 181 |
| 2003 | 1,022 | 1,283 | 0 | 1 | 231 |
Seabird Recovery on Seal Island NWR
(Number of Nesting Pairs)
Recovery of Common and Arctic Terns
Atlantic Puffin Recovery at Seal Island
Machias Seal Island
Machias Seal Island lies along the Maine and New Brunswick border and is the largest tern and alcid colony in the Gulf of Maine. The island is censussed every two years for nesting seabirds. The most recent survey in 2003, documented 1,994 Arctic and 1,329 common tern nests, 3,500 pairs of Atlantic puffin, 560 pairs of razorbills, and 106 pairs of common eider. The Atlantic Cooperative Wildlife Ecology Research Network has been conducting seabird research on Machias Seal since 1995. Numerous graduate projects have been conducted on the island, including projects which have focused on surveying methodology for razorbills, use of seabirds as indicators of commercial fisheries of herring, time activity budgets for terns, and an Arctic tern metapopulation study. Several commercial tourboat operators visit the island and bring a limited number of tourists ashore. A series of blinds are provided for the visitors to observe the nesting birds, and allow for researchers to monitor the colony when visitors are not present. The ownership of the island is disputed between the United States and Canada. According to Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service owns the island. According to the United States, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife owns the island. The Service has a Memorandum of Understanding with MDIFW to manage the island.
|
Year |
Terns (75% ARTE and 25% COTE) |
Atlantic Puffins | Razorbills |
| 1979 | 1,601 | -- | -- |
| 1980 | 1,495 | -- | -- |
| 1981 | 1,511 | -- | -- |
| 1984 | 1,352 | -- | -- |
| 1988 | 1,703 | -- | -- |
| 1992 | 2,275 | -- | -- |
| 1994 | 2,463 | -- | -- |
| 1996 | 2,041 | -- | -- |
| 1998 | 2,998 | -- | -- |
| 2000 | 2,387 | 2,800 | 543 |
| 2002 | 2,202 (A) 1,349 (C) 1(R) | -- | -- |
| 2003 | 1,994 (A) 1,329 (C) | 3500 | 560 |
2003 Results for Nesting Terns, Puffins, and Laughing Gulls in Maine
| Island | Common Tern | Arctic Tern | Roseate Tern | Puffin | Laughing Gull |
| Machias Seal | 1,329 | 1,994 | 0 | ~3,500 | 2 |
| Petit Manan | 1,213 | 799 | 31 | 28 | 1,123 |
| Ship | 78 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Metinic (North End) | 317 | 229 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seal | 1,283 | 1,066 | 0 | 231 | 0 |
| Eastern Egg Rock | 992 | 77 | 164 | 58 | 1,466 |
| Matinicus Rock | 188 | 1,022 | 0 | 256 | 596 |
| Pond | 310 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jenny | 467 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Stratton | 305 | 4 | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| Outer Green | 94 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All other islands | 390 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL (without MSI) | 5,632 | 3,225 | 240 | 573 | 3,186 |
| TOTAL (with MSI) | 6,361 | 5,219 | 240 | 4,073 | 3,188 |
Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge:
Colonial Nesting Seabirds in Maine
Most Recent Survey Data
| Species | # Breeding Pairs | # Colonies |
| Roseate Terns | 240 | 5 |
| Arctic Terns | 3,225 | 8 |
| Common Terns | 5,632 | 22 |
| Atlantic Puffin | 573 (estimate) | 4 |
| Razorbill | 353 (estimate) | 6 |
| Laughing Gull | 3,186 | 4 |
| Common Eider | 29,000 | 320 |
| Double Crested Cormorant | 19,680 | 125 |
| Herring Gull | 28,290 | 183 |
| Great Black-Backed Gull | 15,800 | 231 |
| Great Cormorant | 136 | 8 |
| Black Guillemot | 12,273 | 166 |
| Leach's Storm Petrel | 10,370 | 33 |
| Glossy Ibis | 182 | 3 |
| Snowy Egret | 213 | 5 |
| Black Crowned Night Heron | 118 | 7 |
| Great Blue Heron | 644 | 14 |
| Little Blue Heron | 8 | 2 |
| Great Egret | 1 | 1 |
Species listed in shaded portion of the table have not been updated in recent years and simply reflect the most recent data available.
Data does not include Machias Seal Island.
Petit Manan NWR Banding Total
- 2003 Field Season -
| Location | Species | Number Banded |
| Petit Manan Island | Arctic Tern | 176 |
| Common Tern | 193 | |
| Roseate Tern | 26 | |
| Atlantic Puffin | 13 | |
| Black Guillemot | 51 | |
| Ship Island | Common Tern | 0 |
| Metinic Island | Arctic Tern | 146 |
| Common Tern | 223 | |
| Roseate Tern | 4 | |
| Seal Island | Common and Arctic Terns | 410 (total) |
| Atlantic Puffin | 29 | |
| Matinicus Rock | Atlantic Puffin | 110 |
| Arctic Tern | 377 | |
| Pond Island | Common Tern | 58 |
| Eider Survival and Recruitment Study | Common Eider | 2,652 |
| Total | 4,438 |
Breeding Pairs of Roseate Terns in Maine
| Year | Petit Manan | Eastern Egg Rock | Jenny | Stratton |
| 1984 | 8 | 30 | - | 1 |
| 1985 | 22 | - | - | - |
| 1986 | 31 | - | - | - |
| 1987 | 38 | 2 | - | - |
| 1988 | 42 | 5 | - | 5 |
| 1989 | 45 | 17 | - | 2 |
| 1990 | 48 | 38 | 0 | 18 |
| 1991 | 52 | 50 | 0 | 14 |
| 1992 | 61 | 51 | 0 | 8 |
| 1993 | 65 | 59 | 6 | 7 |
| 1994 | 60 | 63 | 15 | 3 |
| 1995 | 61 | 86 | 0 | 1 |
| 1996 | 24 | 126 | 0 | 10 |
| 1997 | 29 | 138 | 12 | 56 |
| 1998 | 19 | 144 | 8 | 86 |
| 1999* | 28 | 149 | 10 | 100 |
| 2000* | 16 | 165 | 0 | 104 |
| 2001 | 16 | 145 | 0 | 127 |
| 2002 | 27 | 160 | 0 | 98 |
| 2003** | 31 | 164 | 0 | 40 |
* One pair of roseate terns also nested on Seal Island 1999 - 2001
** Two pairs of roseates also nested on Pond Island and three pairs nested on Metinic Island.
Breeding Pairs of Common Terns in Maine
| Year | Petit Manan | Ship | Metinic (north end) | Seal | Matinicus Rock | Eastern Egg Rock | Pond | Jenny | Stratton | Outer Green | Total |
| 1984 | 410 ** | -- | -- | ** | 50 | 328 | -- | -- | 25-30 | -- | 813 |
| 1985 | 619 | -- | -- | -- | *** | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1986 | 759 | -- | -- | -- | 12 | 70 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 841 |
| 1987 | 752 | -- | -- | -- | 20 | 268 | -- | -- | 5 | -- | 1,045 |
| 1988 | 806 | -- | -- | -- | 38 | 599 | -- | -- | 71 | -- | 1,514 |
| 1989 | 943 | -- | -- | 1 | 53 | 883 | -- | -- | 122 | -- | 2,002 |
| 1990 | 1093 | -- | -- | 80 | 25 | 1,114 | -- | 45 | 199 | -- | 2,556 |
| 1991 | 1362 | -- | -- | 369 | 200 | 869 | -- | 57 ** | 248 | -- | 3,105 |
| 1992 | 1137 | -- | -- | 321 | 146 | 1,102 | -- | 167 | 229 | -- | 3,102 |
| 1993 | 1371 | ** | -- | 427 | 95 | 1,168 | -- | 363 | 194 | -- | 3,618 |
| 1994 | 1328 | 0 | -- | 481 | 218 | 1,198 | -- | 491 | 201 | -- | 3,917 |
| 1995 | 1355 | 1 | -- | 645 | 234 | 1,333 | -- | 542 | 265 | -- | 4,375 |
| 1996 | 1132 | 41 | -- | 780 | 148 | 1,374 | ** | 730 | 708 | -- | 4,913 |
| 1997 | 1289 | 478 | -- | 1024 | 90 | 1,441 | 5 | 1,068 | 821 | -- | 6,216 |
| 1998 | 1079 | 500 | ** | 927 | 97 | 1,396 | 1 | 1,167 | 969 | -- | 6,136 |
| 1999 | 908 | 558 | 1 | 955 | 102 | 1,205 | 10 | 1,129 | 1,109 | -- | 5,977 |
| 2000 | 962 | 0 | 41 | 1,205 | 176 | 1,443 | 33 | 1,050 | 1,109 | -- | 6,019 |
| 2001 | 859 | 267 | 32 | 1,197 | 147 | 1,514 | 135 | 59 | 1,881 | -- | 6,091 |
| 2002 | 990 | 0 | 126 | 1,582 | 198 | 1,003 | 109 | 397 | 1,279 | 1** | 5,684 |
| 2003 | 1,213 | 78 | 317 | 1,283 | 188 | 992 | 310 | 467 | 305 | 94 | 5,632 |
** Year that gull control and, on certain islands, social attraction were initiated.
*** In 1985, Matinicus Rock had 777 pairs of common and Arctic terns (species ratio not determined)
Breeding Pairs of Arctic Terns
| Year | Petit Manan | Metinic (north end) | Seal | Eastern Egg Rock | Matinicus Rock | Stratton | Total |
| 1984 | 450 | -- | -- | 15 | 651 | -- | 1,116 |
| 1985 | 756 | -- | -- | -- | ** | -- | -- |
| 1986 | 730 | -- | -- | 5 | 760 | -- | 1,495 |
| 1987 | 673 | -- | -- | 30 | 847 | -- | 1,550 |
| 1988 | 659 | -- | -- | 50 | 981 | -- | 1,690 |
| 1989 | 771 | -- | 16 | 36 | 1,166 | -- | 1,989 |
| 1990 | 729 | -- | 180 | 80 | 1,252 | 2 | 2,243 |
| 1991 | 584 | -- | 281 | 65 | 1,161 | 0 | 2,091 |
| 1992 | 667 | -- | 383 | 50 | 991 | 5 | 2,096 |
| 1993 | 560 | -- | 544 | 46 | 1,000 | 5 | 2,155 |
| 1994 | 655 | -- | 482 | 48 | 1,049 | 3 | 2,237 |
| 1995 | 796 | -- | 517 | 52 | 1,003 | 3 | 2,371 |
| 1996 | 723 | 30 | 956 | 79 | 865 | 7 | 2,630 |
| 1997 | 417 | 3 | 773 | 94 | 934 | 6 | 2,227 |
| 1998 | 318 | 0 | 1,046 | 81 | 888 | 12 | 2,345 |
| 1999 | 580 | 2 | 1,082 | 91 | 968 | 12 | 2,735 |
| 2000 | 474 | 33 | 890 | 85 | 1,030 | 9 | 2,521 |
| 2001 | 622 | 79 | 860 | 92 | 1,014 | 10 | 2,677 |
| 2002 | 671 | 104 | 1,057 | 81 | 999 | 8 | 2,920 |
| 2003 | 799 | 229 | 1,066 | 77 | 1,022 | 4 | 3,225 |
** In 1985, Matinicus Rock had 777 pairs of common and Arctic terns (species ratio not determined)
Petit Manan Island Tern Reproductive Success --
Chick Survival to 15 Days
(Chicks fledged / nest)
| Year | Arctic Terns | Common Terns |
| 1984 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| 1985 | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| 1986 | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| 1987 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| 1988 | 1.2 | 1.7 |
| 1989 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
| 1990 | 1.1 | 1.2 |
| 1991 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
| 1992 | 0.92 | 0.86 |
| 1993 | 1.37 | 1.1 |
| 1994 | 0.88 | 1.2 |
| 1995 | 1.59 | 1.66 |
| 1996 | 0.48 | 0.48 |
| 1997 | 1.07 | 1.31 |
| 1998 | 0.96 | 0.98 |
| 1999 | 0.50 | 1.05 |
| 2000 | 0.62 | 1.17 |
| 2001 | 0.70 | 1.07 |
| 2002 | 1.26 | 1.57 |
| 2003 | 1.03 | 1.5 |
| Date | Arctic Tern Pairs |
Common Tern Pairs | Roseate Terns | Total Terns | Source |
| 1931 | -- | -- | -- | 400 | Allen and Norton |
| 1968 | 800-1000 | 400-500 | 4-5 | -- | J. Hatch 1970 |
| 1969 | -- | -- | -- | 1500 | -- |
| 1970 | 1300 | -- | -- | 1300 | Nisbit 1971 |
| 1971 | 1100 | 400 | 2 | 1500 | Mass. Audubon |
| 1976 | 800 | 600 | -- | 1400 | Hatch 1976 |
| 1977 | 700 | 700 | 20 | 1420 | Korschgen 1979 |
| 1981 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Goettel |
| 1983 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Drury and Folger |
* Gull control efforts using DRC 1339 were initiated in 1984
Laughing Gulls Nesting Within the Gulf of Maine
| Year | Monomoy | Eastern Egg Rock | Matinicus Rock | Petit Manan |
| 1984 | -- | No count | 114 | 200* |
| 1985 | -- | 10 | -- | 200* |
| 1986 | -- | 21 | 114 | 408 |
| 1987 | -- | 102 | 195 | 400* |
| 1988 | -- | -- | 225 | 400* |
| 1989 | -- | 126 | 200 | 449 |
| 1990 | -- | 177 | 203 | No count |
| 1991 | -- | 293 | 181 | 291 |
| 1992 | -- | 223 | 231 | 422 |
| 1993 | -- | 224 | 271 | 505 |
| 1994 | -- | 236 | 290 | 471 |
| 1995 | 0 | 234 | 285 | 487 |
| 1996 | 9 | 460 | 358 | 434 |
| 1997 | 0 | 555 | 322 | 508 |
| 1998 | 0 | 575 | 343 | 509 |
| 1999 | 19 | 660 | 367 | 661 |
| 2000 | 476 | 966 | 355 | 794 |
| 2001 | 805 | 1,252 | 417 | 961 |
| 2002 | 1,094 | 1,176 | 624 | 838 |
| 2003 | 1,200 | 1,466 | 1,022 | 1,123 |
* Represents population estimate.
In 2002, efforts were initiated to limit population size and distribution of laughing gulls nesting on Eastern Egg Rock and Petit Manan Island.
Breeding Pairs of Laughing Gulls in the Gulf of Maine:1991-2003
Monomoy Island, Petit Manan Island, Matinicus Rock, and Eastern Egg Rock
In 2002, the breeding population of laughing gulls nesting on Petit Manan and Eastern Egg Rock were controlled through nest destruction.