Coastal Songbirds

Blackpoll Warbler | Logan Parker

Audio Recording Breeding Songbirds on Coastal Maine Islands

The Gulf of Maine is changing on many fronts. Marine heatwaves have become increasingly common and Maine birds are facing numerous stressors.  Maine’s small islands—particularly those along the Downeast coast—may act as important refuge from climate change for boreal bird species—such as Blackpoll Warbler, Swainson’s Thrush, and Boreal Chickadee—that favor breeding in these colder, harsher climates.  As the Gulf of Maine warms, there is anecdotal evidence that these small islands may be a vanishing holdout for boreal songbirds in the region, but more research is needed. As Maine adjusts to changes in climate, it will be vitally important that biologists and policymakers have access to baseline data on Maine’s boreal songbirds. Without a clear picture of Maine’s coastal species and ecosystems, we won’t know how to protect them in the future.

Glen sets up a recorder on Anguilla Island in July, 2023.
(Photo by Troy Canham)

To address this need, MNHO’s postdoctoral researcher, Elliot Johnston, is spearheading a songbird recording project that will:

  • Deploy songbird recorders on 12 islands between Penobscot Bay and Cobscook Bay.  Recorders will be deployed for months at a time on remote islands to minimize travel hazards, carbon footprint, and disruption to the birds.
  • Focus on small, remote coastal islands with boreal habitats that are often under-studied because of access challenges.  MNHO has spent decades specializing in these remote habitats.
  • Analyze the resulting acoustic datasets so they can be used by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and other agencies to inform their management plans for boreal songbirds.
  • Develop a free interactive web tool that the public can use to visualize songbirds’ use of small islands in Maine.

Project Lead

Elliot Johnston
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