Harry Gibbons (Ikkattuaq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary
The Harry Gibbons (Ikkattuaq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary (MBS) is located on Southampton Island south-west coast, in Nunavut. The site allows the lesser snow goose to securely nest.
Importance of the sanctuary: migratory birds and other wildlife
Harry Gibbons (Ikkattuaq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary is located at the northern extremity of Hudson Bay, 110 kilometres southwest of Coral Harbour on Southampton Island within the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut. In 1957, the Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada) proposed the establishment of a sanctuary within the drainage basin of the Boas River in order to protect this area, an important lesser snow goose nesting site, from potential disturbances due to future prospecting or tourism on Southampton Island. Following this recommendation, the sanctuary was officially established in 1959. This sanctuary is situated within the lower Boas River drainage basin and includes the Boas River delta and estuary, the adjacent tidal flats in Bay of God Mercy, and the surrounding low inland areas. Sitting atop limestone and covered with glacial drift and beach deposits, much of this area lies below a 60-metre elevation.
Did you know?
Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary was named in honour of a prominent Inuit guide and interpreter who assisted many scientists who worked in the area.
By 1957, when the recommendation for protecting this area was made, the Boas River lesser snow goose colony was already the most intensively studied goose colony in the Canadian Arctic. These studies have continued, and the most recent photo surveys, completed in 2008, indicated that an estimated 664 000 lesser snow geese were nesting in and around the sanctuary. The greatest concentration of geese occurred around the Boas River delta, where the grassy islands provide an abundance of nesting sites.
Photo: Alain Fontaine
Many other bird species are known to breed in and around the sanctuary, including:
- Atlantic brant
- cackling goose
- Ross's goose
- common eider
- king eider
- long-tailed duck
- tundra swan
- pacific loon
- red-throated loon
- Sabine’s gull
- herring gull
- ruddy turnstone
- red phalarope
- parasitic jaeger
Did you know?
Glacial drift refers to any material found either on land or in the sea that was left behind by a glacier. These glacial deposits can range from small sediment to large rocks.
Landscape
The Boas River cuts across an extensive sedge meadow, forming a braided delta that is 5 kilometres wide and 13 kilometers long. This area extends beyond the sanctuary boundaries and provides excellent feeding and moulting habitat. The dominant species of vegetation within the meadow are the grass-like sedges, cotton-grass, bog-rush and a variety of mosses and willows. Extensive tidal flats (at least 13 kilometres wide) occur along the coastline. Scattered throughout the sedge lowlands are numerous lakes bordered by sedge-willow meadows. Areas of higher elevation within the sanctuary are vegetated with lichens and sedges.
Map of the area
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Long description
Map showing the location of the Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary (MBS) in relation to Nunavut, Southamption Island and Hudson Bay. The map shows the boundaries of the refuge, which contains part of Hudson Bay waters and runs from the coast towards inland. The scale of the map is in kilometers. An inset on the map shows the location of the shelter in Canada.
Access to the sanctuary
Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, such as Harry Gibbons, are established across the country to protect migratory birds during critical periods of their life cycle. Whether these areas are used for feeding, resting or nesting, they play an important role in the survival of many species. Access to each migratory bird sanctuary varies by site and is at the discretion of the landowner and land manager. Please ensure that you are aware of how you can help protect this sanctuary and please read the restrictions, including those on firearms and hunting, which are in place to conserve the wildlife that call it home. Dogs and cats must not be allowed to run at large inside Migratory Bird Sanctuaries.
The MBS is managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada in partnership with the Irniurviit Area Co-management Committee (ACMC) of Coral Harbour, Nunavut.
Please note that, as per the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement and Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement for National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries in the Nunavut Settlement Area, Nunavut beneficiaries do not require a permit to carry out activities related to subsistence harvesting in this sanctuary. Other individuals who wish to access Harry Gibbons (Ikkattuaq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary must apply for a permit.
If you would like further information on what is permitted in Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, please visit the Management and Activities section of the website. For more information on Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary in particular, please contact our regional office.
Key facts about Harry Gibbons (Ikkattuaq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary
| Protected Area designation | Migratory Bird Sanctuary |
|---|---|
| Province or territory | Nunavut |
| Latitude/longitude | 63°45' N, 85°40' W |
| Size | 143 811 hectares |
| Date created (Gazetted) | 1959 |
| International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Management Category | Wilderness Area (Ib) |
| Additional designations |
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| Main habitat type | Graminoid-peat-moss lowlands (39%), patterned ground and bare deposits uplands (26%), water bodies and exposed sediment (25%) and lichen-heath and boulder ridge highlands (10%) |
| Key bird species | Lesser snow goose, Atlantic brant, cackling goose, Ross's goose, common eider, king eider, long-tailed duck and tundra swan |
| Other species | Birds: Red-throated loon, pacific loon, Sabine’s gull, herring gull, ruddy turnstone, red phalarope and parasitic jaeger Mammals: Arctic fox, bearded seal, ringed seal and polar bear |
| Listed species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) | Polar bear |
| Management agency | Canadian Wildlife Service, Northern Region, in collaboration with the Irniurviit Co-Management Committee of Coral Harbour |
| Landowners | Crown land and Inuit-owned land |
Related link
- Harry Gibbons (Ikkattuaq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary on Google Maps (Please note that the Google map is a complementary source of information that can help locate the migratory bird sanctuary and does not represent the official map or site name)
- Ikkattuaq MBS management plan
Contact information
Environment and Climate Change Canada – Northern Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
Protected Areas and Stewardship
Eastern Arctic Unit
P.O. Box 1714
Iqaluit NU X0A 0H0
Toll Free: 1-800-668-6767 (in Canada only)
Email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca
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