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Species of Special Concern
A species of special concern is any species of fish or wildlife that does not meet the criteria of an endangered or threatened species but is particularly vulnerable, and could easily become, an endangered, threatened, or extirpated species due to restricted distribution, low or declining numbers, specialized habitat needs or limits, or other factors. Special concern species are established by rulemaking, with an opportunity for the public to offer comments. A subset of species are designated as RARE and thereby eligible for regulator review; however these species do not have the same legal protections of endangered and threatened species. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reviews the list of special concern species every few years, and, based on criteria in the Maine Endangered and Threatened Species Listing Handbook (PDF), and revises the list when necessary.
Current List
February 27, 2022
On this page:
Amphibians
- Northern Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphryticus)
- Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens)
Birds
- Leach’s Storm-petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa)
- Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias)
- Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
- Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
- American Coot (breeding population only) (Fulica americana)
- Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
- American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates)
- Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
- Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
- Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
- Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
- Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
- Bonaparte’s Gull (breeding population only) (Chroicocephalus Philadelphia)
- Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla)
- Common Murre (Uria aalge)
- Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus)
- Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
- Olive-sided Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)
- Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)
- Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)
- Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
- Horned Lark (breeding population only) (Eremophila alpestris)
- Purple Martin (Progne subis)
- Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
- Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)*
- Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)*
- Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
- Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli)*
- Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
- Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castariea)
- Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrine)
- Blackpoll Warbler (Setaphaga striata)*
- Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
- Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis)
- Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina)
- Fox Sparrow (breeding population only) (Passerella iliaca)
- Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammodramus nelson)
- Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus)*
- Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
- American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
- Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
- Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)
- Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
- Evening Grosbeak (breeding population only) (Coccothraustes vespertinus)
- Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
- Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
- American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis)
Fish
- Arctic Charr
- Bridle Shiner
- Creek Chubsucker
- Longnose Dace
- Lake Whitefish
Invertebrates
Mayflies
- Brown’s Comb Minnow Mayfly (Ameletus browni)
Bumble Bees
- Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis)
- Lemon Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus citrinus)
- Ashton’s Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus ashtoni)*
- Yellow Bumble Bee (Bombus fervidus)
- Indiscriminate Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus insularis)
Butterflies
- Dusted Skipper (Atrytonopsis hianna)
- Early Hairstreak (Erora laeta)
- Leonard’s Skipper (Hesperia leonardus)
- Cobweb Skipper (Hesperia metea)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Northern Blue (Plebejus idas scudderi)
- Crowberry Blue (Plebejus idas empetri)
- Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
- Hoary Elfin (Callophrys polios)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- Short-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio brevicauda gaspeensis)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Moths
- Barrens Itame (Macaria exonerata; f. Itame sp. 1 nr inextricata, Speranza)
- Bold-based Zale Moth (Zale lunifera; f. Z. sp. 1 nr. lunifera)
- Eastern Buckmoth (Hemileuca maia maia)
- Broad Sallow Moth (Xylotype capax)
- Oblique Zale (Zale obliqua)
- Red-winged Sallow (Xystopeplus rufago)
- Similar Underwing (Catocala similis)
Damselflies
- New England Bluet (Enallagma laterale)
- Citrine Forktail (Ishnura hastata)
- Dusky Dancer (Argia translata)
- Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)
- Big Bluet (Enallagma durum)
- Scarlet Bluet (Enallagma pictum)
Dragonflies
- Canada Whiteface (Leucorrhinia patricia)
- Southern Pygmy Clubtail (Lanthus vernalis)
- Sedge Darner (Aeshna juncea)
- Arrowhead Spiketail (Cordulegaster obliqua)
- Swamp Darner (Epiaeschna heros)
- Cobra Clubtail (Gomphus vastus)
- Pygmy Snaketail (Ophiogomphus howei)
- Common Sanddragon (Progomphus obscurus)
- Spatterdock Darner (Rhionaeschna mutata)
- Ringed Emerald (Somatochlora albicincta)
- Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta)
- Arrow Clubtail (Stylurus spiniceps)
Tiger Beetles
- White Mountain Tiger Beetle (Cicindela ancocisconensis)
- Margined Tiger Beetle (Ellipsoptera marginata) [Salt Marsh Tiger Beetle (Cicindela marginata)]*
Snails
- Bigmouth Pond Snail (Stagnicola mighelsi)
- Malleated Vertigo (Vertigo malleata)
Mammals
Carnivores
- Canada Lynx (PDF) (Lynx canadensis)
Bats
- Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
- Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis)
- Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus)
- Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivigans)
- Tri-colored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus)*
Rodents
- Penobscot Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus shattucki)
Reptiles
- Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)
- Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus)
* Species were listed as either Threatened or Endangered under the Maine Endangered Species Act, effective 25 October 2023.