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Chapter 12 - Coastal & Marine Birds© Donna Dewhurst, U.S. Fish & WildlifeMethodsAs opposed to the data collection methods using in otherchapters in this assessment, bird data is not availablein ten-minute squares. In most cases, occurrences weremapped based on spatial records using the above datasources. In a few cases, only the name of an island wasavailable, in which case the location of the island was researched,and then the occurrence was mapped. Due tothe variation in data available by species, a separate metricwas defined for each species (Table 12-1).Maps, Analysis, and Areas of ImportanceArctic TernWithin Northwest Atlantic, Arctic Terns nest along thecoast of Maine. In 1999-2002, there were about 12,800pairs along the Atlantic coast of Maine and Canada.Arctic Tern breeding numbers are known to have beenhigher in 1950s, but declined into the 1970s and havefluctuated since (Hatch 2002).Important areas for Arctic TernsBreeding: Islands along the coast of Maine(Figure 12-2)Audubon’s ShearwaterDuring the late summer, Audubon’s Shearwaters are concentratedalong the edge of the Continental Shelf off thecoast of North Carolina, with a less important concentrationarea extending northward to the Virginia border. Thetotal breeding population size of the Caribbean population(the same population found off North Carolina inthe late summer) is estimated at 3800 pairs in 2008.Species experts believe the population to have likely decreased,but no long-term data exist (D. Lee, personalcommunication).Important areas for Audubon’s ShearwaterForaging Concentration: The edge of the ContinentalShelf off the coast of North Carolina (Figure 12-3)Barrow’s GoldeneyeMost wintering Barrow’s Goldeneye are outside of theNorthwest Atlantic region, but within the region they arefound along the coasts of Maine, Nova Scotia, and NewBrunswick. Their population trend is unknown.Important areas for Barrow’s GoldeneyeWintering: Shallow marine waters along the coastsof Maine, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick(Figure 12-4)Harlequin DuckHarlequin Ducks are found along the Atlantic coast asfar south as New Jersey. However, the most significantwintering populations are along the coasts of Maine, NovaScotia, and New Brunswick. Their population has beendecreasing over the past 30 years, but has been stable oreven slightly increasing for the past 15 years.Important areas for Harlequin DucksWintering: Rocky coasts and islands of Maine, NovaScotia, and New Brunswick (Figure 12-5)RazorbillSeven percent of the Razorbill population is found withinthe Northwest Atlantic region. Their population isthought be stable.Important areas for RazorbillsWintering: Nearshore marine water along the coastof Maine, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick(Figure 12-6)Northwest Atlantic Marine Ecoregional Assessment • Phase 1 Report 12-