The East Bay 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 in Kivalliq, 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...

, 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 East Bay

East Bay (Nunavut)

East Bay is a waterway in Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in Hudson Bay off eastern Southampton Island. Caribou Island lies to the north of the bay's mouth.-Geography:...

, an arm of Hudson Bay

Hudson Bay

Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...

, in southeast Southampton Island

Southampton Island

Southampton Island is a large island at the entrance to Hudson Bay at Foxe Basin. One of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Southampton Island is part of the Kivalliq Region in Nunavut, Canada. The area of the island is stated as by Statistics Canada . It is the 34th largest...

. The nearest community is Coral Harbour

Coral Harbour, Nunavut

Coral Harbour , is a small Inuit community that is located on Southampton Island, Kivalliq Region, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Its name is derived from the fossilized coral that can be found around the waters of the community which is situated at the head of South Bay...

, 44 mi (70.8 km) to the west. It is one of two bird sanctuaries on the island, the other being the Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary

The Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary is a migratory bird sanctuary in Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in western Southampton Island in the area of the Boas River and Bay of Gods Mercy....

, situated 87 mi (140 km) to the southwest.

Established 1 January 1959, and consisting of 113,800 hectares it is rated Category IV by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Of its 1138 km² (439.4 sq mi)
in overall size, 1664 km² (642.5 sq mi) is a marine area with marine, intertidal

Intertidal zone

The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...

, and subtidal components.

Flora

The sanctuary's habitat consists of dry heath, gravel ridge, intertidal zone, moss carpet, scrub willow, and sedge meadow.

Bird species

Notable bird species include:

• Arctic Tern
• Atlantic Brant
• Black-bellied Plover
• Black Guillemot
• Canada Goose
• Common Eider
• Golden Plover
• Herring Gull
• Jaeger
• King Eider
• Lesser Snow Goose
• Oldsquaw
• Red Knot
• Red Phalarope
• Red-throated Loon
• Ruddy Turnstone
• Sabines Gull
• Semipalmated Plover
• White-rumped Sandpiper

Other designations

East Bay/Native Bay

Native Bay

Native Bay is a waterway in Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in Hudson Bay off western Southampton Island. The Bell Peninsula lies to the southeast. Native Point is located at the bay's southern tip...

 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...

 (#NU023) and a Key Migratory Bird Terrestrial Habitat

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...

(NU Site 44).