The new bird islands at Barren Island were designed with nesting birds in mind, but in 2026, wildlife moved in even before construction was complete.
Common terns and least terns began nesting on the newly created sandy habitat during a pause in construction this summer.
Totaling about 8.5 acres, the two bird islands were intentionally designed to provide remote, protected nesting habitat.
Surrounded by water, sparsely vegetated, and covered with a sandy shell mix, the islands offer nesting conditions that help limit access by predators.
“Birds started showing up as soon as we placed the sand habitat, which was exciting since it meant the restoration was already attracting them,” said Maryland Environmental Service (MES) Lead Environmental Specialist Maura Morris.
When the terns began nesting, Maryland Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff confirmed just under a dozen nests, along with dozens of shallow scrapes where birds had prepared nesting sites.
Because terns are protected under state and federal law, construction on the island was paused to protect the birds.
Unfortunately, the nests and chicks did not survive. Even so, the early nesting remains an encouraging sign that the habitat is functioning as intended.
The islands were designed specifically to provide habitat for rare, threatened, and endangered species as natural nesting areas are lost to sea-level rise and erosion.
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