Sue Schubel Crafts Seabird Decoys for Restoration

Sue Schubel, known as “Seabird Sue,” creates detailed decoys of seabirds in Bremen, Maine to attract them to restored habitats around the world. For a decade, Schubel has hand-painted roughly 500 decoys annually, blending her expertise in zoology and art. Audubon’s Seabird Institute initiated this social attraction program in 1973, sending decoys representing 55 species to places like Australia and the Netherlands.

The program hinges on the fact that 95 percent of seabirds nest in groups, so decoys can encourage them to return to lost habitats or occupy new, safe ones. Early successes included restoring puffin populations to Eastern Egg Rock in Maine and aiding the recovery of the Chinese crested tern.

However, restoring seabird populations is a long process. Some species breed slowly, and years of habitat maintenance are often required before a population takes hold. Schubel is currently working on decoys for a conservation project in Argentina, continuing a practice rooted in ancient hunting techniques but repurposed for preservation.