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Ornithology

With more than 300 listed species, the Islands are a worthwhile, even exceptional destination for serious birdwatchers. So why not take advantage of this unique two-in-one package ?

This remote island chain in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence is renowned for its charming countryside and for the hearty hospitality of the Madelinots. Its relatively small geographical area contains many distinct habitats: red sandstone cliffs, extended sand dunes, lagoons and lush green hills offer a variety of environments that support a rich diversity of avifauna.

Birdwatchers will be delighted with the multitude of species found in the wetlands. There is something for everybody, whether it is the species common to the Islands such as the Greater Scaup (Aythya marila), the Sora (Porzana carolina), Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata), the Common Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus), Bonaparte's Gull, (Larus philadelphia), the Pied-billed Grebe, (Podilymbus podiceps), the Brant, (Branta bernicla), or less-common species such as the Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) and the Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus). A trained observer might be able to identify one of the numerous species of egrets that can be seen in the archipelago.

It is well worth your while to visit the fresh-water ponds scattered over the Islands. They serve as staging areas for Brant (Branta bernicla), Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca), Black-bellied Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola) and Lesser Golden Plovers, (Pluvialis dominica). Ben's Pond (l'étang à Ben in Étang-du-Nord) is also a favoured nesting site for many different birds. Numerous species of ducks can be observed there, as well as rails, herons, Pied-billed Grebes (Podilymbus podiceps) and Belted Kingfishers (Ceryle alcyon).

The Magdalen forest is dominated by balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and white spruce (Picea glauca), and the ornithologist will observe many species typical of this environment. The Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata) and Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) are present in great numbers, sharing the forest with other species such as the Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus), the Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus), the Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) and the Boreal Chickadee (Parus hudsonicus). All these can be observed along paths winding through the different areas.

Dune ridges provide yet another environment and shelter a whole different selection of bird species. The beaches on the Îles de la Madeleine are the nesting grounds for one of the endangered species, the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), whose world population is declining at an alarming rate. In Québec, this species nests only in the Îles de la Madeleine. This bird can be observed from the end of April to the middle of August.

The autumn migration period for shorebirds begins in mid-July. You might be lucky enough to spot one of the rarer species among the shorebirds feeding on the inter-tidal flats - a Gull-billed Tern (Sterna nilotica), a Rufous-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) or a Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea). The best places for this type of observation are the lagoon at Havre-aux-Basques, the Barachois at Fatima and Sandy Hook. Some of the species of shorebirds commonly observed feeding in these areas are: the Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), the Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca), the Willet (Cataptrophorus semipalmatus), the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) the Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica), the Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus), the Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla), the Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), the White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis), the Dunlin (Calidris alpine), the Sanderling (Calidris alba) , the Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), the Red Knot (Calidris canutus). This diversity can, in itself, present something of a challenge for birdwatchers.

Founded in 1989, the Îles de la Madeleine Ornithology Club (Club d'ornithologie des Îles de la Madeleine) organizes between twenty-five (25) and thirty (30) separate bird-watching activities at different times of the year and at various sites over its territory.