Qalipu’s Environment and Natural Resources department (QENR) started their initial partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada on marine bird monitoring in Western Newfoundland in 2022. Since then, QENR staff have received training on shorebird banding and bird identification. Additionally, multiple boat and shore surveys throughout the Port au Port Peninsula, Bay St. George, and the Bay of Islands have been completed to contribute to the growing database of marine bird knowledge on the west coast.

Many marine birds are considered ‘indicator species’, meaning that changes in their behaviour can often point to changes in the ocean environment. Monitoring for changes in the health and behaviour of these species can lead to a better understanding of the conditions of the greater environment, as well as potential impacts caused by development.

Below is a web map highlighting the locations that QENR staff conducted marine bird surveys in 2023-24, including lists of species observed at each site. Click on a site to learn more!

https://qnr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=399dba84f30a4887b46e0599ec672d36