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East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary

{{Infobox protected area

| name = East Bay (Qaqsauqtuuq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary

| iucn_category = Ib

| photo =

| photo_caption =

| map = Canada Nunavut

| location = Southampton Island, Kivalliq, Nunavut, Canada

| nearest_city =

| nearest_town = Coral Harbour{{sfn|ECCC|2024}}

| coordinates = {{coords|64|N|82|W|region:CA-NU|notes={{Cite cgndb|OAUSW|East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary|date=23 May 2024}}|display=inline, title}}

| area = {{cvt|112,811|ha|km2 mi2}}{{sfn|ECCC|2024}}

| established = 1959

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body =

}}

The East Bay (Qaqsauqtuuq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Qaqsauqtuuq Migratory Bird Sanctuary,{{sfn|ECCC|2024}} or {{lang|fr|Refuge d'oiseaux de la baie Est}}{{Cite cgndb|OAUSX|Refuge d'oiseaux de la baie Est|date=24 May 2024}} is a migratory bird sanctuary in the Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in East Bay, an arm of Hudson Bay, in southeast Southampton Island. The nearest community is Coral Harbour, {{cvt|35|km}} to the west.{{sfn|ECCC|2024}}

It is one of two bird sanctuaries on the island, the other being the Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary, situated {{cvt|193|km}} to the southwest.{{cite web|url=https://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/search-place-names/search?latdec=63.9999999&londec=-82&sort-field=distance&from=East+Bay+Bird+Sanctuary&q=Harry+Gibbons+Bird+Sanctuary |title=Point-to-point distance East Bay Bird Sanctuary – Harry Gibbons Bird Sanctuary|date=16 February 2021|access-date=23 May 2024}}

Established 1 January 1959, and consisting of {{cvt|112,811|ha|km2 mi2}}{{sfn|ECCC|2024}} it is rated Category IV by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Of its {{cvt|1124|km2}} in overall size, {{cvt|286|km2}} is a marine area with marine, intertidal, and subtidal components.{{sfn|ECCC|2020|p=Table 1: Qaqsauqtuuq Migratory Bird Sanctuary Summary Information}}

Climate

File:SouthamptonIslandCloseup.png]]

Southampton Island has a severe subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) which transitions into a tundra climate (ET). Like almost all of Nunavut, Southampton Island is entirely above the tree line. Coral Harbour has never gone above freezing in January, February and March (although the latter has recorded {{convert|0.0|C}}. Due to the frozen nature of Hudson Bay, there is a severe seasonal lag until June, especially compared to more continental areas such as Fairbanks despite much sunshine and perpetual twilight at night. Due to the drop of solar strength and the absence of warm water even in summer, temperatures still drop off very fast as September approaches. Cold extremes are severe, but in line with many areas even farther south in Canada's interior.

{{Coral Harbour weatherbox}}

Flora

The sanctuary's habitat consists of three main types, water, unvegetated land, and moist or wet vegetated tundra.{{sfn|ECCC|2020|p=11}} This can be further broken down as dry heath, gravel ridge, intertidal zone, moss carpet, scrub willow, and sedge meadow.{{cite journal|last=Pickavance|first=J.R. |date=September 2006|title=The Spiders of East Bay, Southampton Island, Nunavut, Canada|journal=Arctic|volume=59|issue=3 |page=278|url=https://research.library.mun.ca/432/ |doi=10.14430/arctic313}}

A 1986 list of plants in the sanctuary found over 100 species of algae, fungi, lichens, bryophytes, and vascular plants.{{sfn|ECCC|2020|p=17}}

Plants found in the sanctuary include:{{sfn|ECCC|2020|p=17}}

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Fauna

=Bird species=

Birds listed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) or the Species at Risk Act (SARA) are noted as to their status.{{sfn|ECCC|2020|p=18}} Bird species include:{{sfn|ECCC|2024}}{{sfn|ECCC|2020|pp=10-16, 18}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bsc-eoc.org/iba/site.jsp?siteID=NU023 |title=East Bay/Native Bay |publisher=bsc-eoc.org |accessdate=2009-05-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612102834/http://www.bsc-eoc.org/iba/site.jsp?siteID=NU023 |archivedate=2011-06-12 }}

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=Mammals=

Mammals in the area are mainly Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus), Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus), brown (Lemmus sibiricus), and collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus). Barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus) were reintroduced from Coats Island in 1967.{{ref|Scb|Scb}} Wolves (Canis lupus), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and wolverines (Gulo gulo{{ref|Sc|Sc}}) are occasionally sighted.{{sfn|ECCC|2020|p=16}}

Marine mammals include Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus{{ref|Scb|Scb}}), bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas{{ref|Scb|Scb}}), bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus{{ref|Scb|Scb}}), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus), narwhal (Monodon monoceros{{ref|Scb|Scb}}), polar bear (Ursus maritimus), ringed seal (Pusa hispida{{ref|Scb|Scb}}), walrus (Odobenus rosmarus).{{sfn|ECCC|2020|p=17}}

  • {{note|Th|Th}}Listed as threatened by COSEWIC and by SARA{{sfn|ECCC|2020|p=18}}
  • {{note|En|En}}Listed as endangered by COSEWIC and by SARA{{sfn|ECCC|2020|p=18}}
  • {{note|Sc|Sc}}Listed as special concern by COSEWIC and by SARA{{sfn|ECCC|2020|pp=18, 19}}
  • {{note|Scb|Scb}}Listed as special concern by COSEWIC and no status by SARA{{sfn|ECCC|2020|pp=18, 19}}
  • {{note|Scc|Scc}}Listed as not at risk by COSEWIC and special concern by SARA{{sfn|ECCC|2020|pp=18, 19}}

Other designations

East Bay/Native Bay is a Canadian Important Bird Area (#NU023) and a Key Migratory Bird Terrestrial Habitat (NU Site 44).

Notes

{{Reflist}}

References

  • {{cite web|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/migratory-bird-sanctuaries/locations/east-bay.html |title=East Bay (Qaqsauqtuuq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary|date=3 April 2024|access-date=23 May 2024|publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada|ref={{harvid|ECCC|2024}}}}
  • {{cite report|url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2021/eccc/CW66-689-2020-eng.pdf |title=Qaqsauqtuuq Migratory Bird Sanctuary Management Plan|publisher=Environment and Climate Change Canada|date=2020|access-date=23 May 2024| ref = {{harvid|ECCC|2020}}}}

{{Protected Areas of Nunavut}}

Category:Bird sanctuaries of Kivalliq Region

Category:Important Bird Areas of Kivalliq Region

Category:Migratory Bird Sanctuaries of Canada

Category:1959 establishments in the Northwest Territories

Category:Protected areas established in 1959