Data Zone
Country/territory: Canada
IBA criteria met: A4iii (2008)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 300 ha
Site description (2001 baseline)
Coats Island is located approximately 75 km southeast of Southampton Island in northern Hudson Bay. The majority of the island is low-lying and flat, with large areas of sedge tundra, tundra ponds, and raised beaches. The bedrock in this area is predominantly limestone. At the northeastern tip of the island, a small, elevated outcrop of Precambrian gneiss occurs at Cape Pembroke. The cliffs at the Cape rise to an elevation of 215 m above sea level, and provide nesting habitat for colonial seabirds.
Key biodiversity
Two Thick-billed Murre colonies, are located on cliffs approximately 5 km west of Cape Pembroke. In 1990, the breeding population was estimated to be about 30,000 pairs (approximately 2% of the eastern Canada population). There is some evidence that the population at this colony has increased since 1972. In addition to the Thick-billed Murres, Black Guillemots, Peregrine Falcons (ssp. tundrius, nationally vulnerable), and Glaucous Gulls also nest in the immediate vicinity of the colony.
The sedge lowlands on the northern and western parts of Coats Island support several tundra-nesting species, including King Eiders, Sabine's gulls, Canada Geese, Purple Sandpipers and Pectoral Sandpipers. Although no density or population estimates have been completed, casual investigations suggest that the area contains significant populations of these species. Additional field research is needed.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Coats Island/Cape Pembroke. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/coats-island-cape-pembroke-iba-canada on 26/09/2023.
