Sea Birds
Seabirds are birds that spend a good deal of their lives out at sea. Due to this, they are some of the most elusive birds in the world. There are many different types of seabirds, from auks to penguins. While they vary in size, shape, and location, seabirds as a whole have several defining features.
A seabirds feathers and plumage are specialized for pelagic life. Most seabirds have drab coloration that is darker on top and lighter on the bottom. This coloration is called countershading and helps camouflage them from aerial predators above and prey below. They also have more feathers relative to their body size than most birds, with helps with insulation and waterproofing.
Their feet tend to be flexible and webbed, which helps with swimming and takeoffs from the water. Many have strong claws that help with catching fish. Seabirds also have specialized salt glands that remove salt from the birds food and water, eliminating the risk of dehydration.
A seabirds feathers and plumage are specialized for pelagic life. Most seabirds have drab coloration that is darker on top and lighter on the bottom. This coloration is called countershading and helps camouflage them from aerial predators above and prey below. They also have more feathers relative to their body size than most birds, with helps with insulation and waterproofing.
Their feet tend to be flexible and webbed, which helps with swimming and takeoffs from the water. Many have strong claws that help with catching fish. Seabirds also have specialized salt glands that remove salt from the birds food and water, eliminating the risk of dehydration.
Atlantic Puffin
Scientific Name: Fratercula arctica
Appearance: A full grown Atlantic puffin stands at a little over a foot high and has a wingspan of about 2 feet. Their backs and wings are black and their underbellies are white. They have an oversized orange bill with a gray base. Their faces are white and they have dark eyes. There are no major differences between males and females. As juveniles, they look similar to the adults, but their faces are gray and they have a smaller bill. They also have orange legs and feet.
Diet: Puffins eat small fish, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and squid. When they are feeding chicks, they can be seen carrying several small fish in their beaks at a time.
Location: World-wide, these birds live on both sides the northern Atlantic Ocean. In Maine, they make their homes in rocky areas along the coast. Males dig burrows up to three feet deep under rocks, which are then used as nests for breeding and raising young. It is not uncommon to find large colonies nesting on rocky islands. In winter, they migrate out to sea and do not return until around March.
Atlantic puffins are monogamous and will return to the same mate and burrow every year to nest. They are thought to live for more than 30 years.
The Atlantic puffin is the only species of puffin found in the Atlantic. The other two North American species are only found in the Pacific.
Appearance: A full grown Atlantic puffin stands at a little over a foot high and has a wingspan of about 2 feet. Their backs and wings are black and their underbellies are white. They have an oversized orange bill with a gray base. Their faces are white and they have dark eyes. There are no major differences between males and females. As juveniles, they look similar to the adults, but their faces are gray and they have a smaller bill. They also have orange legs and feet.
Diet: Puffins eat small fish, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and squid. When they are feeding chicks, they can be seen carrying several small fish in their beaks at a time.
Location: World-wide, these birds live on both sides the northern Atlantic Ocean. In Maine, they make their homes in rocky areas along the coast. Males dig burrows up to three feet deep under rocks, which are then used as nests for breeding and raising young. It is not uncommon to find large colonies nesting on rocky islands. In winter, they migrate out to sea and do not return until around March.
Atlantic puffins are monogamous and will return to the same mate and burrow every year to nest. They are thought to live for more than 30 years.
The Atlantic puffin is the only species of puffin found in the Atlantic. The other two North American species are only found in the Pacific.
Common Tern
Scientific Name: Sterna hirunda
Appearance: The common tern grows to stand around 16 inches tall. They are mostly while to gray with a black cap on the tops of their heads. Their tails are long, white, and forked. The tips of their wings are dark gray. They have pointed red-orange bills with a black tip. Their legs and feet are red. There is no obvious difference between male and females. Juveniles look similar to adults, but they have a darker, blue-gray back and an incomplete cap.
Diet: These birds primarily eat fish. They occasionally eat insects and other invertebrates.
Location: Arctic terns are migratory birds. They are usually seen in Maine starting in April. During the summer, they breed and nest all along the Maine coast. In the fall, they begin their migration down to South America for the winter. These birds nest on the ground in large colonies. They make their nests on islands, marshes, and beaches.
These birds were nearly eliminated from Maine due to plume hunting prior to 1910, when they were made protected. They have since made a comeback, though predation and competition from other birds has prevented the population from expanding.
Appearance: The common tern grows to stand around 16 inches tall. They are mostly while to gray with a black cap on the tops of their heads. Their tails are long, white, and forked. The tips of their wings are dark gray. They have pointed red-orange bills with a black tip. Their legs and feet are red. There is no obvious difference between male and females. Juveniles look similar to adults, but they have a darker, blue-gray back and an incomplete cap.
Diet: These birds primarily eat fish. They occasionally eat insects and other invertebrates.
Location: Arctic terns are migratory birds. They are usually seen in Maine starting in April. During the summer, they breed and nest all along the Maine coast. In the fall, they begin their migration down to South America for the winter. These birds nest on the ground in large colonies. They make their nests on islands, marshes, and beaches.
These birds were nearly eliminated from Maine due to plume hunting prior to 1910, when they were made protected. They have since made a comeback, though predation and competition from other birds has prevented the population from expanding.
Herring gull
Scientific Name: Larus argentatus
Appearance: Herring gulls are rather large gulls with large bills and robust bodies. In flight, they look more barrel chested than other gull species.
The head, back, and underbelly of these birds are all white. They have slate-gray wings with black tips. The bill is yellow with a red-orange spot on the front of the lower jaw. Their winter plumage is dirty gray to brown. Juveniles are uniformly a mottled brown and gray with black bills.
Diet: These gulls have a varied diet. They eat fish, insects, clams, eggs, and even baby birds. They have been spotted dropping clams and shelled creatures from great heights to break the shells. Herring gulls are also loud and competitive scavengers. They will eat just about anything given the opportunity, even stealing from unsuspecting beachgoers. They are known to patrol near fishing boats, beaches, garbage dumps, and parking lots, picking up any scraps they find.
Location: These birds can be found all over the U.S., depending on the time of year. In Maine, they can be found all over the state during the summer. They are found on the coast all year long, even in winter. They often live near lakes, as well as the ocean and can be found in a variety of habitats, including open waters, rivers, mudflats, plowed fields, and garbage dumps. They nest in colonies and tend to return to the same site every year.
These gulls are the ones most people in the U.S. think of when they think of the quintessential gray and white "seagull".
Appearance: Herring gulls are rather large gulls with large bills and robust bodies. In flight, they look more barrel chested than other gull species.
The head, back, and underbelly of these birds are all white. They have slate-gray wings with black tips. The bill is yellow with a red-orange spot on the front of the lower jaw. Their winter plumage is dirty gray to brown. Juveniles are uniformly a mottled brown and gray with black bills.
Diet: These gulls have a varied diet. They eat fish, insects, clams, eggs, and even baby birds. They have been spotted dropping clams and shelled creatures from great heights to break the shells. Herring gulls are also loud and competitive scavengers. They will eat just about anything given the opportunity, even stealing from unsuspecting beachgoers. They are known to patrol near fishing boats, beaches, garbage dumps, and parking lots, picking up any scraps they find.
Location: These birds can be found all over the U.S., depending on the time of year. In Maine, they can be found all over the state during the summer. They are found on the coast all year long, even in winter. They often live near lakes, as well as the ocean and can be found in a variety of habitats, including open waters, rivers, mudflats, plowed fields, and garbage dumps. They nest in colonies and tend to return to the same site every year.
These gulls are the ones most people in the U.S. think of when they think of the quintessential gray and white "seagull".
AAB. (2014). Common Tern. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved from: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Tern/id
AAB. (2014). Herring Gull. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved from: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/herring_gull/id
MarineBio. (2014). Atlantic Puffins. Retrieved from: http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=668
Maynyz, Melissa. (2014). What is a Seabird?. About. Rerieved from: http://birding.about.com/od/birdprofiles/a/What-Is-A-Seabird.htm
Tekiela, Stan. (2002). Birds of Maine. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications, Inc.
AAB. (2014). Herring Gull. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved from: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/herring_gull/id
MarineBio. (2014). Atlantic Puffins. Retrieved from: http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=668
Maynyz, Melissa. (2014). What is a Seabird?. About. Rerieved from: http://birding.about.com/od/birdprofiles/a/What-Is-A-Seabird.htm
Tekiela, Stan. (2002). Birds of Maine. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications, Inc.
Updated: December 6, 2014