Site Summary: Site Summary: Brush Island
Nominated By:
David Larson
Size:
0.9 acres
Towns and Counties:
Cohasset; Plymouth
Ownership:
private
Major Habitats:
early successional shrubland, coastal beach, marine/tidal
Land Use:
undeveloped
Serious Threats:
disturbance to birds or habitat
Site Description:
Brush Island, located just offshore from Little Harbor in Cohasset, is a rock island that is the site of one of the state's largest Double-crested Cormorant rookeries. It typically supports nesting cormorants and gulls.
Current Conservation Status:
There is a potential for recreational boaters to disturb the colony, but there is little likelihood of development.
Ornithological Significance:
One of the top four coastal nest sites for Double-crested Comorant (747 pairs, 1994) during the Massachusetts Coastal Colonial Waterbird Inventory, exceeded only by Milk Island (Rockport), Middle Brewster Island (Boston), and Weepecket Island (Gosnold).
Other Flora or Fauna of Significance:
None described.
Data Sources:
B. Blodget. 1994/1995. Massachusetts Coastal Colonial Waterbird Inventory. Preliminary data, MassWildlife.
Data from a ground-based nest count by Katharine Parsons, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.
