In Maine, 9 species in 6 genera in 4 families have been reported. Click on a link below or scroll down for more information.

Family Fregatidae (1 genus, 2 species)
   Fregata (2 species)
      Fregata ariel - Lesser Frigatebird
      Fregata magnificens - Magnificent Frigatebird
Family Sulidae (2 genera, 4 species)
   Sula (3 species)
      Sula dactylatra - Masked Booby
      Sula leucogaster - Brown Booby
      Sula sula - Red-footed Booby
   Morus (1 species)
      Morus bassanus - Northern Gannet
Family Anhingidae (1 genus, 1 species)
   Anhinga (1 species)
      Anhinga anhinga - Anhinga
Family Phlalcrocoracidae (2 genera, 2 species)
   Phalacrocorax (1 species)
      Phalacrocorax carbo - Great Cormorant
   Nannopterum (1 species)
      Nannopterum auritum - Double-crested Cormorant

Key to the families of Order Sulidae reported in Maine

	char. 1	char. 2	char. 3	char. 4	char. 5
Fregatidae
Sulidae
Anhingidae
Phalacrocoracidae

Family Fregatidae (common name?)

Fregata (Frigaebird)
[information to be added]

Key to the species of Fregata reported in Maine

	char. 1	char. 2	char. 3	char. 4	char. 5
F. ariel
F. magnificens

Fregata ariel (Lesser Frigatebird) - Acceptance of this species as a member of Maine’s avifauna is provisional. This species is rare in Maine.

Fregata magnificens (Magnificent Frigatebird) - This species is rare in Maine.

Family Sulidae (common name?)

Key to the genera of Family Sulidae reported in Maine

	char. 1	char. 2	char. 3	char. 4	char. 5
Sula
Morus

Sula (Booby)
[information to be added]

Key to the species of Sula reported in Maine

	char. 1	char. 2	char. 3	char. 4	char. 5
S. dactylatra
S. leucogaster
S. sula

Sula dactylatra (Masked Booby) - This species is rare in Maine.

Sula leucogaster (Brown Booby) - This species is rare in Maine.

Sula sula (Red-footed Booby) - This species is rare in Maine.

Morus (Booby)
[information to be added]

Morus bassanus (Northern Gannet) - [information to be added]

Family Anhingidae (Anhinga Family)

Anhinga (Anhinga)
[information to be added]

Anhinga anhinga (Anhinga) - This species is rare in Maine.

Family Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorant Family)

The two species of cormorants reported in Maine or on the adjacent ocean can be distinguished by the color of the throat pouch, the area flanking the base of the bill and also just below it. It is orange on the double-crested and yellow, bordered by white, on the great. The size difference—longer and with a thicker neck and heavier bill on the great —requires more familiarity with the two species.
   The Acadia National Park checklist indicates that the great cormorant can be seen year-round on MDI and that the double-crested cormorant is seasonal, present from mid-March through November and infrequently through December.

Key to the genera of Phalacrocoracidae reported in Maine

	char. 1	char. 2	char. 3	char. 4	char. 5
Phalacrocorax
Nannopterum

Phalacrocorax (Cormorant)
[information to be added]

Phalacrocorax carbo (Great Cormorant)

Nannopterum (Cormorant)
[information to be added]

Nannopterum auritum (double-crested cormorant) is often seen on the Thrumcap, off the east side of Mount Desert Island between the Porcupine Islands and Schooner Head. This bird, however, was seen perched near the outflow of the mill pond in Somesville and, in this picture, swimming in the pond on 22 May 2010.
   
   (click on image to enlarge)