Marais de la baie de L'Isle-Verte (11421)
Canada, North America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2008
National site name: Marais de la baie de L'Isle-Verte
Central coordinates: Latitude: 48.0322, Longitude: -69.3457
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 41.33046
Protected area coverage (%): 80.79
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Baie de l'Isle-Verte is a cove located beside the town of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de l'Isle-Verte, on the St. Lawrence River estuary, Québec. This town is located approximately 30 km east of Rivière-du-Loup. A National Wildlife Area (NWA) encompassing the marsh (marais) extends along km of shoreline to the west and east of the town, and a smaller Migratory Bird Sanctuary is centred in the middle of the NWA. There is a succession of different habitat types, from the estuarine waters and tidal marshes composed of saltwater cord-grass, to prairies of salt-meadow grass, and finally to coastal alder swamp. Its main feature is a vast marsh dotted with ice extraction pans created by the action of the retreating ice in the spring. This is the site of the largest remaining spartina marsh in southern Quebec. At low tide, the marsh has a minimal and maximal width of 610 m and 1070 m respectively. A constant supply of fresh water to this site is provided by a river and a few brooks.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: Baie de l'Isle-Verte is a significant site for Greater Snow and Canada Geese. During spring and fall migrations, as many as 27,000 geese have been observed at this site. At the same time, greater than 4,000 Black Ducks (about 4% of the estimated Atlantic flyway population) can be observed at these sites. Other wayterbird migrants include: Green-winged Teals, Northern Pintails, Common Eiders, scoters, gulls and cormorants. The variety of habitats found within Baie de L'Isle-Verte attract a large number of bird species throughout the year. Within the National Wildlife Area, more than 260 bird species have been recorded, including some rare species, such as Eurasian Widgeon, King Rail, Laughing Gull, Hawk Owl, Marsh Wren and Wilson's Phalarope. The Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, a species found only locally in Québec, breeds in Baie de L'Isle-Vert. Among the shorebirds that have been recorded are Whimbrel, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Hudsonian Godwit, Common Snipe, Pectoral Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, and Semipalmated Sandpiper. Older breeding season surveys recorded 501 Black Duck ducklings (1968), 386 ducklings (1969), and 167 broods in 1970.
Delineation rationale: 2011-06-06 (BL Secretariat): site area updated from 4600 ha to 4200 ha, following GIS analysis of site polygon by Bird Studies Canada (J. Moore & S. Marquez in litt. 2009). Type 2 marine IBA: non-breeding (coastal) congregations.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 20 | |
| Grassland | 20 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 20 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 40 |