The Boatswain Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary (variant: Baie Boatswain Migratory Bird Sanctuary) is a migratory

Bird migration

Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...

 bird sanctuary that extends between Nunavut

Nunavut

Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...

 and Quebec

Quebec

Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. It is located in Boatswain Bay

Boatswain Bay

Boatswain Bay is an uninhabited waterway in Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It extends eastward from James Bay into the headland, a part of Quebec.-Geography:...

 an arm of James Bay

James Bay

James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...

, and the Quebec headland. It was established in 29 January 1941 and consists of 17,900 hectares It was established in 1941. It is classified Category IV by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The MBS spreads over 60 sq mi (155.4 km²). Of the 16,289.4 hectares, the land surface, governed by Quebec, totals 9,553 hectares, while the marine surface, governed by Nunavut, totals 6,736.4 hectares.

Other designations

Boatswain Bay is a Canadian Important Bird Area

Important Bird Area

An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...

 (#NU097); the MBS is situated within the IBA. The bay is also classified as a Biodiversity

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...

 Reserve, and a Key Migratory Bird Terrestrial Habitat site

Key Habitat Site

A Key Habitat Site is a Canadian Wildlife Service designation for an area that supports at least 1% of the country's population of any migratory bird species, or subspecies, at any time. There may be overlap with areas designated as a migratory bird sanctuary or national wildlife area.-External...

.

Notable species

The predominant bird species include:

• American Black Duck
  American Black Duck
  The American Black Duck is a large dabbling duck. American Black Ducks are similar to Mallards in size, and resemble the female Mallard in coloration, although the Black Duck's plumage is darker...
  
  
• Atlantic Brant
• Canada Goose
  Canada Goose
  The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
  
  
• Lesser Snow Goose
  Snow Goose
  The Snow Goose , also known as the Blue Goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The genus of this bird is disputed...