Habitat for birds

Summer 2001 newsletter

Fauna is committed to ensuring that threatened and endangered natural habitats be conserved and restored. We now hold some 200 acres zoned as agricultural land including the last few acres of forest south of Montreal's urban sprawl. Close to 25% of the sanctuary still remains in its natural state, and can be found in pockets throughout the property. With the assistance of the local Birder's Association and the Quebec Ministry of the Environment, Fauna plans to unite these pockets to form a continuous lane of protected, undisturbed habitat.

Organizations such as the Quebec Federation of Bird Watchers are also planning a corridor of protected wooded area for native fauna. We plan to link with this corridor to provide permanent habitats for animals that are constantly being encroached upon by urban sprawl. Eventually, the network of corridors will extend through southeast Quebec right through to the US border and into the Appalachian Highlands.

In spring of 2001, under the directions of Chris Adam of the Earthvalues Institute, Fauna’s Roots and Shoots club launched a very successful Nesting Program. Thirteen members of Champlain College’s Project Chimp group, organized by student Jamie McDonald, came to paint birdhouses made by Fauna handyman Andre Bechard. The crew painted 50 birdhouses were placed around the Fauna property by volunteers from the Dawson College Community Recreation Leadership Training program. The nests were built to attract large species like the Great Crested Flycather, Flicker, and theSaw-whet Owl and smaller species such as Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, House Wrens and Chickadees. This summer all were thrilled to discover six nesting Bluebirds, a rare sighting in the open spaces near a major city like Montreal.