| IBA |
Governors Island
Hillsborough Bay, Prince Edward Island |
| Site Summary |
| PE008 |
Latitude
Longitude |
46.136° N
63.059° W |
Elevation
Size |
0 - 10 m
6.93 km² |
Habitats:
coniferous forest (temperate), open sea, coastal cliffs/rocky shores (marine)
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Land Use:
Urban/industrial/transport
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Potential or ongoing Threats:
Disturbance, Persecution
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| IBA Criteria: Continentally Significant: Congregatory Species |
| Conservation status: |
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Site Description
Governor's Island is located off the south (Northumberland Strait) shore of Prince Edward Island, near the centre of Hillsborough Bay. It is a small island (1.5 km by 700 m) about 4 km off the mainland shore. Reefs are located on the seaward side of the island, and mudflats are present on the landward side during low tide. There is no permanent settlement on the island, but an unused airstrip is present.
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Birds
Governor's Island supports a large colony of Double-crested Cormorants. When it was first surveyed in 1987, it contained an estimated total of 500 nests. In recent years the numbers have increased rapidly, with a peak of 1818 nests recorded in 1997, presumably reflecting immigration from other more disturbed colonies (the 1997 peak represents about 2% of the estimated Atlantic Coast population). The 12-year average at this site (1987-98) is about 950 nests, while the average over the last five years (1994-1998) is about 1,311 nests.
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IBA Criteria |
| Species↓ T | A | I |
Links |
Date |
Season |
Number |
G |
C |
N |
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Note: species shown in bold indicate that the maximum number exceeds at least one of the IBA thresholds (sub-regional, regional or global). The site may still not qualify for that level of IBA if the maximum number reflects an exceptional or historical occurrence.
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Conservation Issues
Some fishing interests disapprove of cormorants, and thus cormorants and their nests are occasionally destroyed. The rapid increase at this colony suggests that immigration may have involved birds from other more disturbed colonies. The Prince Edward Island Fish and Wildlife Division surveys the cormorant populations at Governors Island annually.
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