About the Refuges

Between 1972 and 1980, the refuges in the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex were established for the protection of migratory birds, principally colonial nesting seabirds. The Service has focused on restoring terns because their populations were particularly low. The roseate tern, a federally endangered species, prefers large colonies of Common or Arctic Terns in which to nest. Therefore, saving this species requires assisting the other two.

Tern restoration began in 1984 on Seal and Petit Manan islands, which now support large colonies of Common and Arctic Terns. More recent restorations have occurred on Pond, Metinic and Ship Islands. The goal is to establish tern colonies on numerous refuge islands. This will ensure that a singular catastrophic event such as disease, an oil spill, or a hurricane, will not wipe out a species.

Other colonial nesting seabirds have benefitted from tern restoration efforts. Atlantic Puffins, Black Guillemots, Common Murres, Razorbills, Laughing Gulls, Leach's Storm-Petrels, and Common Eiders have recolonized some islands. Petit Manan Island now hosts many of these species during the nesting season. Razorbills, a relative of the extinct great auk, are at the southern end of their range along the Maine coast and nest on six islands and four are part of Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge: Seal, Matinicus Rock, Old Man and Petit Manan. Herring and Great Black-Backed Gulls, Great Cormorants and Double-Crested Cormorants breed on some refuge islands.

Learn more at the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge website