Shultz Lake (11039)
Canada, North America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2008
National site name: Shultz Lake
Central coordinates: Latitude: 52.4935, Longitude: -111.6527
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 695 to 695
Area of KBA (km2): 3.40446
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Shultz Lake (an unofficial name) is located approximately 30 km south of the town of Sedgewick, in east-central Alberta. This non-alkaline lake is fairly shallow with an abundance of submergent vegetation. Most of the surrounding lands are croplands.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: Shultz Lake supports between 10,000 and 20,000 white geese each fall. Most of these birds are Snow Geese, but some are Ross Geese. In some years, however, higher numbers can be present, such as on October 20, 2000, when it was estimated that there were 25,000 white geese on the lake. Ross Geese arrive earlier than the Snow Geese, which peak in early October, so these figures to not include peak Ross Goose numbers. Greater White-fronted Geese are also abundant between 5,000 and 10,000 are usually present. The higher number is about 1% of the North American population. Several thousand Canada Geese, probably from the Short Grass Prairie population, also feed here in the autumn. In addition to the geese, several thousand ducks and a few Tundra Swans use the lake in the fall.
Habitats
Land use: not utilised
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |