Maine Ornithological Literature
Maine's rich ornithological literature provides the foundation for the committee's work. Here we provide links to important works on Maine's birdlife so that others may continue their own research. An ongoing project of the committee is to assemble a central repository of and/or links to publications pertinent to Maine ornithology.
1987-2000 (last volume 11, number 1)
quarterly and then biannual and irregular; newsletter
Editor, Jody Despres
A project of the Univeristy of Maine at Machias (UMM) and the Maine Audubon Society (through 1990), later of UMM and Maine Bird Notes staff. Provided here with permission.
Seasonal summaries of bird records in Maine. Includes some short accounts of rarities, authored by the observers themselves in many cases; photos included in later years. Perhaps the best overall seasonal reports specifically for the state of Maine during the period of its publication.
1979-1985 (volumes 1-7) [here missing volumes 6 & 7]
quarterly newsletter
Michael K. Lucey, Maine Audubon Society, and ultimately Steve Weston (publishers)
Seasonal summaries of bird records in Maine. Includes some short articles. Thanks to Jeff Wells and Stan DeOrsey for providing issues.
by Ralph S. Palmer
published 1949
Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard vol. 102: 1-656
[also see: Palmer, R. S. 1950. Corrigenda to Maine Birds. Bulletin Maine Audubon Society 6(1):20.]
Detailed compilation of bird records and an historical review largely based on data gathered by Arthur Norton and amplified by Palmer. Lists 339 species and 22 additional subspecies; an additional 13 species and 1 subspecies are categorized as hypothetical. Introduced, extirpated, and extinct species are treated too. Species accounts form the core of the book and present seasonal status, ecology (habits and habitats), and historical changes in bird distribution. The bibliography is comprehensive if not exhaustive, totaling greater than 1000 citations.
Birds of Maine
by Ora W. Knight
published 1908
privately published by Ora Willis Knight
Bangor, Maine; printer: C. H. Glass & Company
The Journal of the Maine Ornithological Society
1899-1911, volumes 1-13
quarterly, published by the Maine Ornithological Society
1973-2008 available at SORA (Searchable Ornithological Research Archive)
currently published by the American Birding Association
Maine reports were included as part of regional summaries (Northeast or New England).
Previously published as Bird Lore, Audubon Field Notes, American Birds, Field Notes, and now produced by the American Birding Association as North American Birds.
"The mission of the journal is to provide a complete overview of the changing panorama of North America's birdlife, including outstanding records, range extensions and contractions, population dynamics, and changes in migration patterns or seasonal occurrence."