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Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
The Battures de Beauport and Chenal de L’île d’Orléans are on the St. Lawrence River just east of Quebec City. The site includes the L’île d’Orléans channel westward from L’Ange Gardien, and continues westward to include the Beauport tidal mudflats on the north side. In places, tidal flats can be as wide as 800 metres, with extensive Scirpus marshes. Immediately adjacent to the shorelines are highways, a railway and heavily urbanized areas. The waters are turbulent with strong currents and tides. Four species of fish that are in need of protection, such as American Eel and American Shad use the channel.
In spring and fall large numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds are attracted to the mudflats. Up to 105,876 waterfowl have been counted on spring surveys. Many of these birds were probably Greater Snow Geese since flocks of up to 100,000 Snow Geese have been recorded (2% of the North American population). In the fall of 1987, 4,000 American Black Ducks were tallied, representing over 1% of the global population. Before the construction of a highway in the late 1970s, this species was regularly present in even larger numbers - 5,000 to 8,000 were regularly seen. In the fall, many other species of waterfowl are present in the hundreds, sometimes thousands, especially Greater and Lesser scaup, Common and Red-breasted merganser, Green and Blue-winged teal and Northern Pintail. During hunting season, ducks tend to concentrate in the middle of the channel and in the hunting free area.
Thirty four species of shorebirds have been observed here, most in the Beauport flats. The most abundant species is the Semipalmated Sandpiper, which in fall migration was formerly recorded in flocks of 5,000 to 10,000 birds (maximum of 40,000 in 1973). Since then however, Semipalmated Sandpiper numbers have declined, with 2,000 being the highest number counted here since 1990. Hundreds of Least Sandpipers, Dunlin, Lesser and Greater yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitchers and Killdeers are also seen.
Mixed flocks of Ring-billed and Herring gulls, gather together in flocks of about 1,000 to 2,000 birds. Great Black-backed Gulls and Bonaparte’s Gulls are present in smaller numbers in various seasons. Common Tern formerly nested here in low numbers (1972-1978).
Horned Grebe and Barrow’s Goldeneye, both rare in Quebec, are occasionally seen here, with noteworthy peaks of 81 and 41, respectively.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Because of its heavy industrialization and urbanization the area has many contaminants, including heavy metals. An Environment Canada restoration project of the river sediments is underway in Quebec’s port area. The river is a heavily travelled seaway, thus oil spills are a constant risk. The introduced Purple Loosestrife is spreading along St. Lawrence River shores and might eventually affect waterfowl habitat quality. The mudflats are designated as a Waterbird Concentration Area and part of the river as Fish Habitat, preventing any habitat modifying activities. Also, no hunting is allowed in part of the area.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Battures de Beauport and chenal de l'île d'Orléans (Canada). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/battures-de-beauport-and-chenal-de-lîle-dorléans-iba-canada on 22/12/2024.
