Migratory Bird Sanctuaries

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Abstract

Bird sanctuaries areas of importance for the protection of migratory birds, their nests, and eggs. Nunavut has an abundance of sites favourable to the migratory habits of several bird species. In 1999, ten sanctuaries were legislated as Migratory Bird Sanctuaries.

The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) of Environment Canada establishes bird sanctuaries to control and manage areas of importance for the protection of migratory birds, their nests and eggs. The sanctuaries can include a range of habitat types such as terrestrial, wetland, or marine. The CWS establishes regulations determining what activities can be carried out within these areas. Prohibited activities include the harassment or killing of birds, and disturbing, destroying, or possessing nests or eggs.

Nunavut has an abundance of sites favourable to the migratory habits of several bird species. In 1999, ten sites are legislated as Migratory Bird Sanctuaries. One of these, the Queen Maud Gulf Migratory Bird Sanctuary with an area of 61 765 square kilometres, is the largest in Canada. You can click on the "get statistics" button to find the location of the other Migratory Bird Sanctuaries of Nunavut. Their names are Akimiski Island, Bylot Island, Cape Dorset, Dewey Soper, East Bay, Harry Gibbons, McConnell River, Prince Leopold Island and Seymour Island. From approximately mid-May to mid-September, each of these Migratory Bird Sanctuaries shows off the bird life on a most impressive scale, welcoming birds by the hundreds of thousands. Examples are at Dewey Soper (450 000 Snow Geese), McConnell River (300 000 Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese) and Prince Leopold Island (375 000 seabirds). Migration is a fact of life for birds in Nunavut: only the Raven, Gyrfalcon, Willow Ptarmigan and Iceland Gull are adapted for spending the whole year in the austere Arctic environment.