64 birdwatchersdigest.com • November/December ’17 • birD Watcher’s Digest

AAt three times the size of Texas, Quebec borders New York to the south, and extends north nearly to the Arctic Circle. Although it is the second-most-populous province in Canada, its popula-tion is concentrated in the south, especially along the St. Lawrence River. Farther north, much of this vast land is remote, wild, and difficult to reach. Dotted through-out are small towns, interspersed among an estimated half-million lakes and 4,500 rivers. An estimat-ed twelve percent of the surface of Quebec is fresh water. Quebec’s two major topographic regions, the St. Lawrence Lowland in the south and the Canadian Shield in the north, are vastly different. From north to south, Quebec

encompasses Arctic tundra, sub-arctic taiga, boreal forest, and deciduous forest. The Atlantic Coast enjoys a maritime climate. The St. Lawrence River and Seaway open into the world’s largest estuary, and provide a corridor for birds migrating between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes.

French is the official language of the province, and tracking down birding information for Quebec can pose a language barrier. The province boasts 450 bird species, and like the human population, the density of bird-ing hotspots and eBird reports come from the most accessible southern region of the province.

Note: Les oiseaux is French for “the birds.”

Spotlight on Quebec

ADO

BE S

TOCK

6565Bird Watcher’s digest • NovemBer/decemBer ’17 • birdwatchersdigest.com

Birding Hotspots1. RNF du Cap Tourmente (Cap Tourmente National

Wildlife Area)2. Observatoire d’Oiseaux de

Tadoussac (Tadoussac Bird Observatory)3. Ile des Soeurs (Nuns’ Island) 4. Pointe de Maizerets (Maizerets

Point)5. Parc de l’Île Charron (Charon Island Park)6. Parc Côtier Kiskotuk—Secteur

marais du Gros-Cacouna (Kiskotuk Coastal Park, Gros-Cacouna Marsh Ornithological Site)7. Réservoir Beaudet8. Gaspé Peninsula 9. RécréoParc

Quebec

103

7

9

16

2

8

4

5

Canada

Ruffed grouse.

10. Sablière, St-Lazare (St. Lazare Sandpits)

66 birdwatchersdigest.com • November/December ’17 • birD Watcher’s Digest

Black guillemot.Snow bunting.

Boreal chickadee.

birdwatchersdigest.com • November/December ’17 • birD Watcher’s Digest66

Common loon.

6767Bird Watcher’s digest • NovemBer/decemBer ’17 • birdwatchersdigest.com

Resources• Official checklist (in French

and English): oiseauxqc.org/listeannotee.jsp

• General information: oiseauxqc.org/english.jsp

Must-see birds❏❏ Ruffed❏grouse❏❏ Common❏loon❏❏ Northern❏goshawk❏❏ Razorbill❏❏ Black❏guillemot❏❏ Black-legged❏kittiwake❏❏ Iceland❏gull❏❏ Glaucous❏gull

❏❏ Great❏black-backed❏gull❏❏ Snowy❏owl❏(provincial❏bird)❏❏ Gray❏jay❏❏ Horned❏lark❏❏ Boreal❏chickadee❏❏ Winter❏wren❏❏ Golden-crowned❏kinglet❏❏ Veery❏❏ Bohemian❏waxwing❏❏ Lapland❏longspur❏❏ Snow❏bunting❏❏ Rusty❏blackbird❏❏ Pine❏grosbeak❏❏ White-winged❏crossbill❏❏ Common❏redpoll❏❏ Pine❏siskin❏❏ Evening❏grosbeakAD

OBE

STO

CK (4

)

Most coffee destroys migratory bird habitat. ABA Song Bird Coffee protects it. Certified bird friendly by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. aba.org/coffee

Maybe it’s time you

switched to bird

friendly coffee.

HER-HIM_layout_Final_BWD_HalfPage.indd 2 2017-01-19 9:45 PM