Summary
The sparse knowledge about Nunavik birdlife limits our ability to ensure the recovery of some species or their maintenance at viable population levels. Nunavik is home to the majority of breeding pairs of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in eastern North America. However, since 2011, with the exception of one population survey conducted in the Ungava Bay area, this vast territory has been the subject of very few eagle (and other raptor) inventories, even though it has many rock faces that are suitable for this species. This report presents the results of a 2022 Hudson Bay inventory conducted by a joint team from the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) and the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment and Climate Change Canada (CWS). The inventory highlighted the widespread use of this area by Golden Eagles, with a total of 163 nests located, of which 133 (81.5%) were new nesting sites for the species. The inventory also provided new information on the nesting of other birds of prey: the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus), gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), merlin (Falco columbarius) and osprey (Pandion haliaetus). The inventory was also intended to collect data for the northern component of the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Québec. The resulting nesting indices allowed us to extend the known nesting area of various species. This was the case for Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus), Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis), Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) and Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta), which were found further south than their known breeding range in mainland Québec, as well as for American duck (Mareca americana), Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) and American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), which, conversely, were found further north than their known range. Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) was particularly numerous, with 163 individuals counted, many of them on rivers not previously known to support this duck. Other species at risk were the Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus), Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia), Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), and Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). The efforts made during this ornithological inventory represent one of the most important multi-species knowledge acquisition projects ever conducted at these latitudes.
File
Sector(s):
Wildlife
Categorie(s):
Assessment, Report
Theme(s):
Inventory, Wildlife
Author(s)
FORTIER-BOISCLAIR, Maude
Year of publication :
2023
Format :
ISBN
978-2-550-94574-1
Keywords :
Inventory, Nunavik, golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, bird of prey, breeding birds
