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Animal species do not recognize geopolitical borders. Some have vast geographical distributions comprising several countries, if not entire continents, while others occupy only very small geographic areas within the political borders of a country or province. Since several countries share the responsibility of conserving many species, it is crucial to define the responsibility of each political entity in preserving all the elements of biodiversity.
In the case of the birds of the St. Lawrence, we recognize that we have a greater responsibility towards three levels of species called St. Lawrence species, since the St. Lawrence system makes up a large part of their breeding range either on a worldwide or provincial scale.
| Species |
St. Lawrence
level |
Migratory
status |
Piority rank |
Demographical
trend |
| Queb.¹ |
North Am.² |
| Leach's Storm-Petrel |
1 |
MB |
S3 |
G5 |
Decline |
| Northern Gannet |
1 |
MB |
S4 |
G5 |
Increase |
| Piping Plover |
1 |
MB |
S2 |
G3 |
Stable |
| Great Black-backed Gull |
1 |
MB |
S5 |
G5 |
Stable |
| Razorbill |
1 |
MB |
S5 |
G5 |
Increase |
| Bicknell's Thrush |
1 |
MB |
S5 |
? |
Stable |
| Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow |
1 |
MB |
S3 |
G5 |
Increase |
 |
| Horned Grebe |
2 |
MB |
S1 |
G5 |
Decline |
| Great Cormorant |
2 |
MB |
S4 |
G5 |
Stable |
| Great Egret |
2 |
MB |
S3 |
G5 |
Increase |
| Snow Goose |
2 |
MB |
S4 |
G5 |
Increase |
| Redhead |
2 |
MB |
S3 |
G5 |
Increase |
| Barrow's Goldeneye |
2 |
MB (?) |
S3 |
G5 |
Stable |
| Wilson's Phalarope |
2 |
MB |
S3 |
G5 |
Decline |
| Little Gull |
2 |
MB |
SN |
G5 |
? |
| Common Black-headed Gull |
2 |
MB |
S3 |
G5 |
Stable |
| Black-legged Kittiwake |
2 |
MB |
S5 |
G5 |
Stable |
| Caspian Tern |
2 |
MB |
S1 |
G5 |
Decline |
| Roseate Tern |
2 |
MB |
S1 |
G3 |
Stable |
| Common Murre |
2 |
MB |
S4 |
G5 |
Increase |
| Carolina Wren |
2 |
RB |
S4 |
G5 |
Increase |
|
| Double-crested Cormorant |
3 |
MB |
S5 |
G5 |
Increase |
| Northern Shoveler |
3 |
MB |
S5 |
G5 |
Stable |
| Gadwall |
3 |
MB |
S5 |
G5 |
Stable |
| American Wigeon |
3 |
MB |
S5 |
G5 |
Stable |
| Ruddy Duck |
3 |
MB |
S3 |
G5 |
Increase |
| Yellow Rail |
3 |
MB |
S2 |
G4 |
Stable |
| American Coot |
3 |
MB |
S4 |
G5 |
Stable |
| Atlantic Puffin |
3 |
MB |
S4 |
G5 |
Increase |
| Sedge Wren |
3 |
MB |
S2 |
G5 |
Decline |
| Loggerhead Shrike |
3 |
MB |
S1 |
G4 |
Decline |
St. Lawrence level:
1: breeding bird for which 1–10% of its worldwide breeding range occurs in the St. Lawrence system
2: breeding bird for which all of its breeding range in Quebec occurs along the St. Lawrence
3: breeding bird for which a large proportion of its breeding range in Quebec occurs along the St. Lawrence
Migratory status: MB: migratory breeder; RB: resident breeder
¹ Quebec priority rank: CDPNQ (1999)
² North American priority rank: The Nature Conservancy (1999)
Demographical trend: CDPNQ (1999) |
The first level of St. Lawrence species, the one for which we have the greatest degree of responsibility, consists of seven species (3% of breeding bird species) that have a significant portion of their worldwide breeding range (1 to 10%) along or near the St. Lawrence. This group includes the Piping Plover, which nests on the upper part of beaches in the Magdalen Islands, four colonial seabirds and two passerines that have recently received species status in the supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union checklist (AOU 1995), Bicknell's Thrush and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Roughly 7% of St. Lawrence breeding birds, or 14 species, only breed along the river in Quebec (second level), while the populations of 10 other species (5% of breeders) are mainly concentrated along the river during the breeding season (third level). Excluding the Great Black-black Gull, which is abundant, a large number of species in the second and third level have a high conservation priority in the St. Lawrence. Almost all of the St. Lawrence species breed in wetlands or coastal habitats.
This analysis of St. Lawrence species clearly shows the strategic importance of the wetlands of the St. Lawrence for the breeding of many aquatic birds in Quebec. It also highlights the essential role played by the Gulf of St. Lawrence seabird sanctuaries in the conservation of seabirds at a worldwide level. Some squares in the Magdalen Islands also support a large number of breeding St. Lawrence species, which makes these islands all the more important in conserving these species in Quebec.
| Squares with more than 3 confirmed breeding St. Lawrence species |
Square
No. |
Location |
Number of St. Lawrence species |
Region |
% of species of |
Global
rank* |
Level
1 |
Level
2 |
Level
3 |
Total |
Region |
Province |
River |
| 1 |
Percé |
4 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
A4 |
66,7 |
57,1 |
26,7 |
1 |
| 2 |
Brion Island |
3 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
IMA |
44,4 |
44,4 |
26,7 |
1 |
| 3 |
Sainte-Marie Islands (west) |
3 |
3 |
2 |
8 |
E3 |
80,0 |
66,7 |
26,7 |
1 |
| 4 |
Sainte-Marie Islands (east) |
3 |
3 |
2 |
8 |
E3 |
80,0 |
66,7 |
26,7 |
1 |
| 5 |
Sorel Islands |
1 |
2 |
4 |
7 |
B1 |
46,7 |
38,9 |
23,3 |
5 |
| 6 |
Baie-du-Febvre |
0 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
B1 |
46,7 |
38,9 |
23,3 |
5 |
| 7 |
Laval (north) |
0 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
B1 |
46,7 |
38,9 |
23,3 |
5 |
| 8 |
Manowin Island |
3 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
D10 |
85,7 |
54,5 |
20,0 |
8 |
| 9 |
Rocher aux Oiseaux |
3 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
IMA |
33,3 |
33,3 |
20,0 |
8 |
| 10 |
Dune du Nord |
3 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
IMA |
33,3 |
33,3 |
20,0 |
8 |
| 11 |
Pointe de l'Est |
3 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
IMA |
33,3 |
33,3 |
20,0 |
8 |
| 12 |
Baie des Loups |
2 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
E3 |
60,0 |
50,0 |
20,0 |
8 |
| 13 |
Baie du Renard (south) |
2 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
X4 |
85,7 |
85,7 |
20,0 |
8 |
| 14 |
Falaise aux Goélands |
2 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
X4 |
85,7 |
85,7 |
20,0 |
8 |
| 15 |
Verchères |
1 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
B1 |
40,0 |
33,3 |
20,0 |
8 |
| 16 |
Varennes |
0 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
B1 |
40,0 |
33,3 |
20,0 |
8 |
| 17 |
Baie des Loups (west) |
3 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
E3 |
50,0 |
41,7 |
16,7 |
17 |
| 18 |
Coin-du-Banc |
3 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
A4 |
41,7 |
35,7 |
16,7 |
17 |
| 19 |
Forillon Peninsula |
2 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
A4 |
41,7 |
35,7 |
16,7 |
17 |
| 20 |
Cap-aux-Meules |
2 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
IMA |
27,8 |
27,8 |
16,7 |
17 |
| 21 |
Havre aux Basques (west) |
2 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
IMA |
27,8 |
27,8 |
16,7 |
17 |
| 22 |
Pierreville |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
B1 |
33,3 |
27,8 |
16,7 |
17 |
| 23 |
Dundee |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
B1 |
33,3 |
27,8 |
16,7 |
17 |
| 24 |
Beauharnois |
0 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
B1 |
33,3 |
27,8 |
16,7 |
17 |
| 25 |
Niapiskau Island (Mingan) |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
E2 |
57,1 |
33,3 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 26 |
Sandy Hook–Île d'Entrée |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
IMA |
22,2 |
22,2 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 27 |
Étangs-des-Caps |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
IMA |
22,2 |
22,2 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 28 |
Étamamiou Island |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
E3 |
40,0 |
33,3 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 29 |
Île aux Perroquets (Mingan) |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
E2 |
57,1 |
33,3 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 30 |
Betchouane |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
E2 |
57,1 |
33,3 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 31 |
La Grosse Boule |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
D10 |
57,1 |
36,4 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 32 |
Anse à Beaufils |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
A4 |
33,3 |
28,6 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 33 |
Île du Bic |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
A3 |
44,4 |
28,6 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 34 |
Grosse-Île (west) |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
IMA |
22,2 |
22,2 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 35 |
Île aux Lièvres |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
A3 |
44,4 |
28,6 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 36 |
Les Pèlerins |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
A3 |
44,4 |
28,6 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 37 |
Cap Tourmente |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
C8 |
100,0 |
36,4 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 38 |
Lake Saint-François |
0 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
B1 |
26,7 |
22,2 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 39 |
Mount Royal |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
B1 |
26,7 |
22,2 |
13,3 |
25 |
| 40 |
Contrecoeur Islands |
0 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
B1 |
26,7 |
22,2 |
13,3 |
25 |
| * Rank of the square's richness comparing to the 178 squares with confirmed breeding St. Lawrence species |
Jean-Luc DesGranges and Benoît Jobin
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