Column: Behavior of birds changes during breeding season

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 20, 2026

As the migration season winds down, we experience a lull in general bird activity. This drop comes from two main factors: many birds have migrated farther north, and those that did stay—including our resident species — are really hard to detect right now. We have around 300 species of birds that regularly occur in Maine. Of those, 231 were documented as breeding in the state during the Maine Bird Atlas. One of the most important things to remember this time of year: there are baby birds everywhere. If you stumble upon one, it is almost always best to leave it alone. ~ Doug Hitchcox, Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist