Data Zone
Country/territory: Canada
IBA Criteria met: A4i (2001)
For more information about IBA criteria please click here
Area: 6 ha
Site description
Valeport Marsh is located at the southeast end of Last Mountain Lake, six km northwest of the town of Craven, and north of Regina. This extensive marsh was developed for waterfowl by the provincial government with the co-operation of Ducks Unlimited. A short river meanders through the area before joining the QuAppelle River six km to the south. The adjacent valley slopes are well wooded and provide habitat for numerous species of deciduous woodland birds. This site is in the moist mixed grassland ecoregion of southcentral Saskatchewan.
Key biodiversity
The Valeport Marsh is rich in waterbirds of several varieties. Arctic-nesting shorebirds such as Stilt Sandpiper have been recorded in very large numbers, with up to 2,500, or 2.5% of the world population, being found here during spring migration. Over 2,000 Long-billed Dowitchers can be found here during spring migration, as well as up to 500 American Golden-Plovers.
Three pairs of Clarks Grebe breed here in the summer. This species is on the northern edge of its range in the southern prairies, and in 1996 there were only two other confirmed breeding locations in Saskatchewan, with few others known in the rest of Canada. But, the range of Clarks Grebe is poorly known because it was only recently separated as a species from the more abundant Western Grebe.
During fall migration, large numbers of both ducks (10,000) and geese (>5,000) use the marsh and the river within the marsh as a staging area. The area is also utilized by about 200 American White Pelicans outside of the breeding season.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Valeport Marsh. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 28/03/2023.
