Proximity of Waterbird Colonies to Development in Maryland
We evaluated the proximity to development of 2 representative groups of colonial waterbirds present in Maryland's coastal plain, active in 1985 through 1988, to determine the influence of land and water development on the distribution of waterbird nest sites. Thirty of 38 known common tern (Sterna hirundo) and Forster's tern (S. forsteri) colonies were located on marsh islands. All 23 great blue heron (Ardea herodias) colonies were located in forested areas usually along shorelines. The distance to and quantity of various man-made structures (e.g., buildings, roads, piers, agricultural...
