Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Location on Vancouver Island
Map showing the location of Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Location in British Columbia
LocationSidney, British Columbia, Canada
Coordinates48°40′20″N 123°24′39″W / 48.67222°N 123.41083°W / 48.67222; -123.41083
Area150 ha (370 acres)
DesignationMigratory Bird Sanctuary
Established1931
Governing bodyCanadian Wildlife Service
WebsiteShoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary

The Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary is a migratory bird sanctuary on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. More than 40 species of birds are found there.[1]

There are marinas and boat moorings within the sanctuary and development on its shoreline.[2] A ship partially sank in the bird sanctuary in 2022, raising concerns about environmental impacts to the wildlife there.[3]

Among 92 MBS in Canada, Shoal Harbour MBC is 146 hectares big and one of the early establishments made under the Migratory Birds Convention Act.[4] Migratory Birds Sanctuaries’ main goal is to protect migratory birds from numerous threats and to provide a safe, warm shelter during winter when their habitats are mostly frozen.[5] This is one of the implementations to accomplish the environmental missions that Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has called along with the Species at Risk Act to sustain biodiversity.[6]

About 35-40 species of birds inhabit the Shoal harbour area.[1] Three areas are composed of Shoal Harbour: Protected waters, Sidney Channel Bird Important Area, and Outer Coast.[7] Each area has extinct characteristics, as particular species of birds are found in each sector.[1] With IUCN(International Union for Conservation of Nature) evaluation, the birds are distinguished into not evaluated, data deficient, least concerned, near threatened, vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered, extinct in the wild, and extinct.[7]

  1. ^ a b c Canada, Environment and Climate Change (2014-11-05). "Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  2. ^ "Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary". Friends of Shoal Harbour. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  3. ^ "Environmental response to boat in Roberts Bay receives praise from Sidney". Victoria News. 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  4. ^ Canada, Environment and Climate Change (2011-02-22). "Migratory bird sanctuaries across Canada". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
  5. ^ Canada, Environment and Climate Change (2011-02-09). "Establishing protected areas for wildlife and birds". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
  6. ^ "Protected Areas Program: Strategic Program Plan and Vision to 2030". www.canada.ca. 2023-08-29. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
  7. ^ a b "THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES".