Surveys of Common Eiders and Other Migratory Birds in the Bathurst Inlet area of Nunavut

Project Number: 80

Year Funded: 2008

Lead Institution(s): Canadian Wildlife Service

Project Lead: Garnet Raven

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Collaborator(s): Lynne Dickson (CWS), SDJV, CWS, PCSP, IWMAC

Location: Nunavut

Focal Species: Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)

Project Description: The Bathurst Inlet area, including Melville Sound, Parry Bay and Elu Inlet, supports about 25% of Canada’s breeding population of Pacific Common Eiders (Dickson, unpublished data). The North American eider population experienced a marked decline in recent years (Suydam et al. 2000), and is believed to be at moderate risk from resource development. Likely the entire Canadian breeding population stages in the southeastern Beaufort Sea for 2-3 weeks during spring migration (Dickson et al. 2005), hence they are highly vulnerable to development of offshore oil and gas reserves in that region. Three mines are currently under way in the Bathurst Inlet area, as well as a proposal for a port and road to the interior. The resulting habitat loss and increased human activity in the area are an additional threat to the Pacific Common Eider. This survey will provide a breeding population estimate for the Bathurst Inlet area, as well as provide a baseline for both monitoring abundance in the area and tracking population trends continentally. Survey results will also provide information on key areas for nesting eiders. A comparable survey was conducted in 1995, and thus will add to our knowledge of population trend for the Pacific Common Eider.