Terms
What is a shorebird?
Shorebirds are a diverse group of birds that include sandpipers, plovers, turnstones, knots, curlews, dowitchers and phalaropes.
This group does not include herons, gulls, or cormorants.
In Maine we have eight nesting shorebird species and thirty-six shorebird species that use our coastal habitats for staging during their migration from Canadian arctic breeding grounds to South American wintering areas.
What is a staging area?
Staging areas are habitats that birds use to feed and rest during migration.
What is a roosting area?
The roosting area is part of the staging area, and is above the high water mark. Roosts are areas where the birds go to rest during high tide, when the feeding areas are inundated and the birds cannot feed. Shorebird roosts are often sandy beaches, sand/gravel bars, rock ledges, or islands with little or no vegetation. Ideally, roosts are located close to feeding areas.
