Fauna – Threatened and Endangered Birds and Long Island’s Largest Seal Colony
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Based on detailed census work by Audubon staff over the
past three years, over 100 bird species have been
documented as breeding or foraging on Plum Island and
adjacent coastal waters (see Case Statement for a
listing).
 These include a variety of birds-of-prey, shorebirds,
wading birds, waterfowl, and songbird species. In 2009
Audubon staffers noted 7 active Osprey nests and an
active Bank Swallow colony, a species of bird on the
decline in New York. Of special interest is the presence
of Piping Plovers, a federally threatened species, which
utilizes the shoreline habitat for breeding purposes.
The
Piping Plover shares this shoreline with several
dozen Roseate Terns, a federally endangered species, and
several hundred Common Terns, a NYS threatened species,
which use the island as developmental habitat and for
resting on its shoreline. The waters surrounding Plum
Island are rich in nutrients and are vital feeding and
courting grounds for birds such as these terns.
As has been documented at other coastal islands and
sites situated in southern New England, Plum Island
undoubtedly provides critical stopover habitat for many
fall migrant songbird species, many of which have not
been fully documented in the census work discussed above
because no detailed census work has taken place in late
summer and autumn. Coastal islands are known to be vital
for migrating land birds such as warblers, vireos, and
thrushes, and many other birds that take advantage of
the habitat to rest and feed (thereby refueling) before
they continue their migration over water.
 Moreover, the island and the waters surrounding it are
important habitat for large congregations of numerous
seabirds including several species of loons, grebes and
marine waterfowl species such as American Black Duck,
Scaup species, Long-tailed Duck, all three Scoter
species, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Eider and
Red-breasted Merganser. Common Eiders, known to breed
from nearby Fisher's Island may also breed on Plum
Island; if so this would be only the second location in
the state where this well-known sea duck breeds. Plum
Island is part of the Orient Point to Plum Island
Important Bird Area based upon the presence of species
at risk, such as the previously mentioned Piping Plover
and Common Terns along with Least Terns
and for its
water bird congregations.
 The wetlands in the southwestern portion of the island
host Snapping and Painted Turtles. The offshore waters,
especially of Plum Gut, host large concentrations of
Striped Bass, Bluefish, Tautog, Summer Flounder and
others. Plum Gut is a major migration corridor for
Striped Bass and Atlantic Salmon.
Common Dolphins have been sighted off the waters of the
island. Additionally, aerial seal censuses conducted by
staff from the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research
and Preservation have found that the immediate offshore
rocks and the waters surrounding the island are used
extensively by several dozen to as many as three hundred
Harbor and Grey Seals during the winter months. Over the
past decade the number of seals hauling out here has
increased. According to researchers from the Riverhead
Foundation, “Plum Island is one of the haul out sites
most frequented by seals and consistently has the
largest number of seals observed during surveys”.
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