Nicolet Bird Sanctuary facts for kids

The Nicolet Bird Sanctuary is a special protected area in Quebec, Canada. It is one of 28 migratory bird sanctuaries in the province. This sanctuary helps protect birds that travel long distances. It's a resting place for ducks and Canada geese. It's also a nesting area where water birds can lay their eggs and raise their young. The sanctuary is located a few kilometers west of Nicolet. It sits on the south shore of Lake Saint Pierre.

About the Sanctuary

The Nicolet Bird Sanctuary is located west of Nicolet, Quebec. It stretches along the south shore of Lake Saint Pierre all the way to the village of Baie-du-Febvre. The sanctuary also includes some islands in the delta of the Nicolet River. This area is very important for nature. It is part of the Lac-Saint-Pierre Biosphere Reserve in Canada. It was named a Ramsar Site in 1998. It is also known as an Important Birds Conservation Area (ZICO).

The sanctuary is found within the town of Nicolet. It is also in the municipality of Baie-du-Febvre. Both of these places are in the Nicolet-Yamaska area. This region is part of the Centre-du-Québec region.

The Land and Water

The land in the sanctuary is very low. It gets flooded every spring when the water levels rise. The plants here change depending on how wet the area is. You can find plants that live in water. There are also marsh areas with special grasses. Some parts are swamps and forests. There are even old fields that are no longer used for farming.

History of the Sanctuary

The Canadian National Defense bought this land in the 1950s. In 1969, the site was recognized as an important resting place for birds. Later, in 1982, it officially became a bird sanctuary. This means it is now a protected area for birds.

Amazing Wildlife

The Nicolet Bird Sanctuary is home to many different kinds of birds. It is especially important for birds that migrate.

Migrating Birds

During the spring migration, nearly 500,000 snow geese visit the sanctuary. This is almost the entire population of the atlantica species! It is also a key stop for Canada geese. More than 100,000 Canada geese were seen here in 1998. Other important birds during migration include the American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) and the Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra).

In the autumn, many different ducks visit. You can see a large number of pintails (Anas acuta). There are also small scaup (Aythya affinis), Scaup, and golden-eye withered (Bucephala clangula).

Nesting Birds

Many ducks choose to nest and raise their young in the sanctuary. These include the Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), the Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata), the Gadwall (Anas strepera), and the American Wigeon (Anas americana). Other nesting ducks are the Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris), Common Teal (Anas crecca), and the Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors). The sanctuary is also a breeding ground for red-necked ducks (Aythya americana), Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis), and Wilson's Phalarope (Steganopus tricolor).

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  Song Sparrow

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  Swamp Sparrow

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  Black Tern