What is special about Maine for shorebirds?
There are few locations along the southward migration path that provide adequate food resources in conjunction with nearby suitable roosting sites at the appropriate time to meet energetic requirements. Therefore shorebirds often concentrate in extremely large groups at distantly separated wetlands.
Coastal staging areas in the Bay of Fundy and Maine are recognized as the most important southward staging area for shorebirds in eastern North America.
Shorebirds exhibit extreme fidelity to traditional staging areas, a behavior that makes them particularly vulnerable to altered or degraded habitats.
If habitats are degraded from development, pollution, or disturbance, shorebirds do not readily relocate to new areas. Banding studies have shown that shorebirds exhibit strong site fidelity to specific staging areas.
Maine shorebirds stage only in Maine. More specifically, Casco Bay birds stage in Casco Bay; Cobscook Bay birds stay only in Cobscook Bay.
If habitats deteriorate in one watershed, shorebirds will try and tough it out rather than stage further down the coast.
Maine is responsible for those shorebird populations that stage in Maine.
