saltmarsh sparrow

Maine Adds Eight New Species To State's Endangered and Threatened Species List

Eight new species were added to Maine's Endangered and Threatened Species list, including five birds, one bat, one bee, and a beetle. Two of these species, the saltmarsh sparrow and Ashtons cuckoo bumble bee, are listed as Endangered, and the other six as Threatened.

Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus © Doug Hitchcox

Black-capped Chronicle Issue 11 – Winter 2022/2023

A new issue of the Maine Bird Atlas’ newsletter, Black-capped Chronicle, is now available!

crew member using a drip torch

Fired Up about Conservation

The first Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX) to be held in the Northeast brought collaboration, mentorship, outreach, and fire to the sandplain grassland of Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area. Prescribed burns are tactically designed with two main objectives: restore ecosystem function and decrease uncontrollable wildfire risk.

Maine wildlife that would benefit from RAWA

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA)

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is an opportunity to protect and enhance fish and wildlife in Maine and the United States for future generations.

piping plover family portrait on beach

Maine has Another Productive Plover Year

Only a short 40 years ago, the piping plover population had a grim outlook with a mere seven pairs recorded in the entire state of Maine. These beach habitat specialists are nearly always found in open sandy areas near water. Consequently, these are the same areas that have been heavily developed and used by beachgoers over the years, leading to the sharp decline of the state’s population.

salmon

Chesuncook Lake Salmon Fishery Update

We’ve invested a lot of time since implementing a new management strategy on Chesuncook Lake back in 2018. We are getting close to our harvest goal, and the fish are starting to respond.

bunting

Big Atlas Weekend 2022 - June 24-26

This exciting annual event is a fun way for birders from across the state to document breeding birds and come together as a birding community.

red-winged blackbird

Maine Bird Atlas Final Season

The Maine Bird Atlas is in the home stretch but there is a lot of work to be done in the final season! We’ll get there, block by block, but we need your help. This 5-year statewide project will guide Maine’s future bird conservation efforts, and every submission helps! 

New England cottontail release

New England Cottontails have returned to Scarborough Marsh Wildlife Management Area!

MDIFW’s restoration efforts for the New England cottontail rabbits (a State Endangered species) is a multi-faceted approach.

removing fencing from the doe

Team Effort to Help a Doe in Peru

Recently, a doe was seen with a cable cinched around her waist. There was concern that the cable could continue to tighten and affect her survival so we tried to see if we could intervene.