Saint-Vallier (11460)
Canada, North America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2008
National site name: Saint-Vallier
Central coordinates: Latitude: 46.8868, Longitude: -70.8607
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 6
Area of KBA (km2): 14.12586
Protected area coverage (%): 48.08
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Anse de Saint-Vallier is a small bay on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River by the village of St. Vallier, Québec. It consists primarily of a mudflat and a Scirpus marsh; the area’s boundaries are delineated by the high and low tide levels. The Boyer River, which flows into the bay, is a spawning site for three species of fish at risk.
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: Anse de Saint-Vallier is noteworthy for its flocks of migrating waterfowl. The most prominent of these is the Greater Snow Goose (subspecies atlanticus), which can be present in globally significant numbers in the spring. In 1995, a flock of 50,000 were spotted, accounting for over 1% of the global population of this subspecies. Numerous other waterfowl species, including Canada Goose, are common at the site, especially in fall when hunting pressures elsewhere bring them here for shelter. At this time, surveys have recorded both species of scaup, with maximum counts of 2,510 for Greater (1975) and 4,000 for Lesser (1988). This site also hosts flocks of migrant shorebirds in spring and fall. The most common species are Killdeer, Black-bellied Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser yellowlegs, and White-rumped, Least and Semipalmated sandpiper. The highest numbers are found in early August. For instance, in August 1989, a peak of 4,000 Semipalmated Sandpiper were recorded.
Delineation rationale: 2011-06-06 (BL Secretariat): site area updated from 400 ha to 1400 ha, following GIS analysis of site polygon by Bird Studies Canada (J. Moore & S. Marquez in litt. 2009).
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 50 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 50 |