Shigawake-Newport (11413)
Canada, North America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2008
National site name: Shigawake-Newport
Central coordinates: Latitude: 48.1492, Longitude: -64.9333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 90
Area of KBA (km2): 135.89089
Protected area coverage (%): 10.59
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Shigawake-Newport site is a 40 km strip of coast, on the north shore of Baié des Chaleur, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, between Shigawake and Newport. The site includes the offshore water in a one-kilometre strip, and a section of inland habitat that is approximately 300 meters wide. At Port-Daniel Bay the site extends further inland (3 km) to include a small sandbar. The Mahy Islands, a small group of low rocky islands, are located in Port-Daniel Bay. The coastal habitat consists of a series of small bays, cliffs and rocky points, while inland habitat is comprised of mainly shrubby areas, forests and fields. On the sandbar, there is a grassy area with large patches of Eelgrass nearby.
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: Shigawake-Newport is notable for its spring season seaducks and the presence of the nationally endangered eastern Harlequin Duck, which is present in all ice-free seasons. A three-year average of 156 birds (1989,1998,1999) has been recorded during spring migration. This is 13% of the eastern population of Harlequin Duck. During fall migration, over the same three years, an average of 56 birds has been recorded. Smaller numbers of moulting birds are present in July. The adjacent Pot-Daniel River is thought to be a breeding location for this species. Groups of diving ducks - Common Eider and Surf, Black, and White-winged scoters - occur in nationally significant numbers (10,000-12,000) in the spring. Small numbers of Barrow’s Goldeneye’s are also sometimes seen. Several seabird colonies are scattered along the coast. Eight colonies with a cumulative total of 5,539 pairs of birds were recorded in 1989. A total of 1,431 Herring Gull pairs were found in 1989; this is more than 1% of this species’ North American population. Historically, Herring Gulls nested in much higher numbers - 3,360 pairs nested on the Mahy Islands alone in 1976. The Great Black-backed Gull, also nested in this site in large numbers in 1989, with 453 pairs (over 1% of the global population) recorded. Other species nesting within the Shigawake-Newport site include Black Guillemot (230 pairs in 1989), Double-crested Cormorant (804 pairs in 1989) and Black-legged Kittiwake (559 pairs in 1989).
Delineation rationale: 2011-06-06 (BL Secretariat): site area updated from 6500 ha to 14000 ha, following GIS analysis of site polygon by Bird Studies Canada (J. Moore & S. Marquez in litt. 2009). Type 1 marine IBA: suitable for the seaward extension approach. Type 2 marine IBA: non-breeding (coastal) congregations.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 2 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 3 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 2 | |
| Forest | 2 | |
| Shrubland | 1 | |
| Marine Neritic | 90 |