Twin Island Bird Survey

PROJECT LEADS: Michel Robert (Canadian Wildlife Service)

DURATION: 2022

AMOUNT AWARDED: $42,350

Project Summary:

In 2022, the Eeyou Marine Region Wildlife Board partnered with Canadian Wildlife Service, and the Cree Trappers Association to plan a bird survey of the Twin Islands, around 60 km off the coast of Wemindji. CWS researchers and two Wemindji land users spent 6 days surveying the islands by helicopter.

The objectives of this project are:
(1) To add the area of the Twin Islands to the Second Quebec Breeding Bird Atlas project.

(2) To provide up-to-date distribution maps that will serve as a baseline against which future changes can be measured.

Update:

  • The survey occurred between June 28 and July 2, 2022.
  • They collected 636 breeding evidence indices for 68 bird species in 38 10×10 km survey squares.
  • Findings have extended the known breeding range for several species: Tundra Swan, Long-tailed Duck, Dunlin, Purple Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Pacific Loon, Lapland Longspur, and American Tree Sparrow.
  • They observed two species at risk during this study: the Common Nighthawk and the Red-necked Phalarope.
  • Shorebird density appears to be much lower today than in the early 1970s.
  • Some passerines (sparrows/warblers) are probably more common today than in the early 1970s