Bird Watching

BIRD WATCHING

The Lower North Shore offers a rewarding experience for birdwatchers. More than 218 species of terrestrial birds, shorebirds and seabirds have been documented in the region. The best time to view birds in during spring and fall migration and summer breeding season. The rich marine environment of the Lower North Shore attracts fourteen kinds of seabirds to breed and raise their young, including alcids such as the puffin, murre and razorbill. Renowned naturalist John James Audubon was impressed by the diversity of birds when he visited in 1833. The warmth of spring welcomes migrating waterfowl on their way north to breed.

During this time, you may see dabbling or diving ducks such as Common Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Black Duck and Common Mergansers. Seaducks such as the Common Eider fly by in large flocks with hundreds or even thousands of individuals. During summer months, seabirds breed and raise their young on offshore islands along the Lower North Shore. At the region’s six federally designated Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, you can expect to see Common Eiders, Razorbills, Black Guillemots, Common Murres, Red-throated Loon, along with Ring-Billed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Brador Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary is home to the largest Atlantic Puffin colony in Quebec, with more than 20,000 of these colourful birds. Raptors such as the Rough-Legged Hawk, Northern Harrier, and Short-eared Owl can also be observed flying low over the barrens looking for prey.