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Although the minimum objective in biodiversity conservation is to ensure that no species disappears completely from the face of the earth, ideally, one would want to ensure that no species completely disappears from a significant portion of its breeding range. Based on an approach developed by the World Wildlife Fund (1995), several conservation organizations in North America are keeping an up-to-date list of species of birds likely to be designated as vulnerable or at risk in significant portions of their breeding range. In Quebec, the most recent version of the provincial and North American status of Quebec species is contained in an ecological heritage databank (Banque de données du patrimoine écologique) (CDPNQ 1999). This information has already been used in several cases to undertake concrete action to protect unique habitats and restore species threatened in Quebec.
Among the 35 species that currently have a high-priority conservation status in Quebec (S1 to S3), 20 breed along the St. Lawrence. Two other species, the Northern Fulmar (SN) and Little Gull (SN), which have probably only bred once in the St. Lawrence system in Quebec, are not included on this official list of priority species for the St. Lawrence. The list contains mainly aquatic species, of both freshwater and marine habitats. Only three species are birds of open terrestrial habitats, the Red-headed Woodpecker, Loggerhead Shrike and Grasshopper Sparrow. Three of the 20 priority species breeding along the St. Lawrence, the Bald Eagle, Piping Plover, and Roseate Tern, also have a high priority ranking (G3) for all of North America; ornithologists fear for their survival, due to the small size of North American populations. There is concern about the other 17 priority species in terms of maintenance of their populations in Quebec.
| Priority species in Quebec and squares where they were confirmed breeding |
| Species |
Priority
rank |
Suscep-
tibility 1 |
Nesting
habitat |
Number of squares and number of the squares
where the species has bred 2 |
| Queb. |
North
Am. |
Total |
St. Lawrence
Lowlands |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
Upper North Shore-
Anticosti |
Lower
North
Shore
|
Magdalen
Islands |
| Horned Grebe |
S1 |
G5 |
x |
Wetlands |
3 |
 |
|
|
|
3 (44,
45, 47) |
| Leach's Storm-Petrel |
S3 |
G5 |
|
Coastal |
6 |
|
1 (22) |
1 (28) |
3 (40, 41, 2) |
1 (47) |
| Least Bittern |
S3 |
G5 |
x |
Wetlands |
6 |
5 (1, 2,
8, 11, 15) |
1 (20) |
|
|
|
| Great Egret |
S3 |
G5 |
|
Wetlands |
1 |
1 (11) |
|
|
|
|
| Redhead |
S3 |
G5 |
|
Freshwater |
8 |
8 (1, 2, 3,
7, 8, 11,
12, 14) |
|
|
|
|
Harlequin
Duck |
S3 |
G5 |
x |
Freshwater |
1 |
|
1 (24) |
|
|
|
| Ruddy Duck |
S3 |
G5 |
|
Freshwater |
2 |
2 (7, 16) |
|
|
|
|
| Bald Eagle |
S3 |
G3 |
x |
Wetlands |
9 |
|
|
9 (29, 30,
31, 32, 33,
34, 35, 36, 37) |
|
|
| Yellow Rail |
S2 |
G4 |
x |
Wetlands |
4 |
1 ( 2) |
3 (17,18,19) |
|
|
|
| Piping Plover |
S2 |
G3 |
x |
Coastal |
11 |
|
|
|
1 (39) |
10 (43, 44,
45, 46, 48,
49, 50, 51,
52, 53) |
| Wilson's Phalarope |
S3 |
G5 |
|
Freshwater |
10 |
5 (1, 3,
7, 8, 13) |
5 (18, 20,
21, 25, 26) |
|
|
|
| Common Black-headed Gull |
S3 |
G5 |
|
Wetlands |
2 |
|
|
1 (27) |
|
1 (48) |
| Caspian Tern |
S1 |
G5 |
x |
Coastal |
1 |
|
|
|
1 (38) |
|
| Roseate Tern |
S1 |
G3 |
x |
Wetlands |
2 |
|
|
|
|
2 (43, 46) |
| Thick-billed Murre |
S3 |
G5 |
|
Coastal |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 (54) |
| Red-headed Woodpecker |
S2 |
G5 |
x |
Agricultural-
urban |
2 |
2 (3, 9) |
|
|
|
|
| Sedge Wren |
S2 |
G5 |
x |
Wetlands |
1 |
1 (2) |
|
|
|
|
Loggerhead
Shrike |
S1 |
G4 |
x |
Agricultural-
urban |
4 |
4 (1, 4,
5, 6) |
|
|
|
|
Grasshopper
Sparrow |
S2 |
G5 |
x |
Agricultural-
urban |
1 |
1 (10) |
|
|
|
|
| Sharp-tailed Sparrow |
S3 |
G5 |
x |
Wetlands |
7 |
1( 3) |
4 (17, 20,
21, 23) |
|
|
2 (43, 55) |
 |
| Total |
|
|
|
|
55 |
16 (1 to 16) |
10 (17 to 26) |
11 (27 to 37) |
5 (38 to 42) |
13 (43 to 55) |
¹ Species likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable in Quebec (Beaulieu 1992)
² Numbers in parenthesis are referring to squares' number on the opposite map |
Priority species (S1 to S3) were confirmed to breed in 55 out of the 445 squares (12%) along the St. Lawrence where breeding by bird species has been confirmed. The highest concentration of breeding sites for these species at risk occurs in the Magdalen Islands. Most of the squares on the islands contain priority species, some of which currently do not breed elsewhere along the St. Lawrence, such as the Horned Grebe (S1), Roseate Tern (S1) and the Piping Plover (S2). The freshwater section and, to a lesser extent, the estuary also contain several squares crucial to the breeding of priority species. Since many of these species frequent wetlands, squares rich in aquatic vegetation that are located in the riverine lakes of the freshwater section or in major intertidal marshes of the estuary have the most potential in the conservation of this group of species. Such species include the Yellow Rail (S2), Sedge Wren (S2), Least Bittern (S3), Redhead (S3), Ruddy Duck (S3), Wilson's Phalarope (S3) and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (S3). Although the Loggerhead Shrike (S1) and Caspian Tern (S1) apparently no longer breed in Quebec, the squares where the last pairs nested are still assigned a high priority since they are likely to contain habitats suitable for the breeding of these very rare species in Quebec.
| Prioritization index of squares based on the richness of priority confirmed breeding species S1, S2 and S3, and squares' rank by avifaunal region and by priority index |
Square
No. |
Location |
Natural region |
Number of species |
Prioritization
index |
Global
rank * |
| S1 |
S2 |
S3 |
Total |
| 1 |
Laval (north) |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
1 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
0,17 |
2 |
| 2 |
Dundee |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
0,17 |
2 |
| 3 |
Sorel Islands |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
0,13 |
7 |
| 4 |
Saint-Prosper (Batiscan) |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0,11 |
9 |
| 5 |
Saint-Édouard (Lotbinière) |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0,11 |
9 |
| 6 |
Sorel |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0,11 |
9 |
| 7 |
Baie-du-Febvre (north) |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 8 |
Varennes |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 9 |
Senneville |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 10 |
La Prairie |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 11 |
Lake Saint-François |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 12 |
Pierreville |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 13 |
Verchères |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 14 |
Île Sainte-Hélène |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 15 |
Îles de la Paix |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 16 |
Beauharnois |
St. Lawrence Lowlands |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 17 |
Barachois-de-Malbaie |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0,09 |
13 |
| 18 |
Île aux Oies |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0,09 |
13 |
| 19 |
Cacouna |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 20 |
Cap Tourmente |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 21 |
Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0,04 |
29 |
| 22 |
Percé |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 23 |
Pointe-au-Père |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 24 |
Port-Daniel |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 25 |
Sainte-Hélène (Kamouraska) |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 26 |
Île aux Grues |
Laurentians-Appalachians |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 27 |
Niapiskau Island (Mingan) |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 28 |
Manowin Island |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 29 |
Port-Menier (nord) |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 30 |
Havre du Brick (west) |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 31 |
Baie au Caplan |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 32 |
La Petite Rivière |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 33 |
Bec-Scie |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 34 |
Pointe de la Tour |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 35 |
Baie des Sables |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 36 |
Baie des Sables (east) |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 37 |
Pointe Dauphiné |
Upper North
Shore-Anticosti |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 38 |
Olomane River (La Romaine) |
Lower North Shore |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0,11 |
9 |
| 39 |
Chevery |
Lower North Shore |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 40 |
Sainte-Marie Islands (west) |
Lower North Shore |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 41 |
Sainte-Marie Islands (east) |
Lower North Shore |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 42 |
Baie des Loups (west) |
Lower North Shore |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 43 |
Dune du Nord |
Magdalen Islands |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0,20 |
1 |
| 44 |
Grosse-Île (west) |
Magdalen Islands |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0,17 |
2 |
| 45 |
Pointe-aux-Loups |
Magdalen Islands |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0,17 |
2 |
| 46 |
Dune du Sud (northeast) |
Magdalen Islands |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0,17 |
2 |
| 47 |
Brion Island |
Magdalen Islands |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0,13 |
7 |
| 48 |
Cap-aux-Meules |
Magdalen Islands |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0,09 |
13 |
| 49 |
Pointe de l'Est |
Magdalen Islands |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 50 |
Bassin aux Huîtres |
Magdalen Islands |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 51 |
Dune du Sud (southwest) |
Magdalen Islands |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 52 |
Havre aux Basques |
Magdalen Islands |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 53 |
Étangs-des-Caps |
Magdalen Islands |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0,07 |
16 |
| 54 |
Rocher aux Oiseaux |
Magdalen Islands |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| 55 |
Havre aux Basques (west) |
Magdalen Islands |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0,02 |
30 |
| * Rank of the square's prioritization index according to the 55 squares with breeding priority bird species in Quebec |
Jean-Luc DesGranges and Benoît Jobin
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