National Capital Commission
Canada

Birds

With a total of 237 different species of birds, including the pileated woodpecker and the common loon, Gatineau Park is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Of the species found in the Park, 15 are on the endangered list in the province of Quebec and/or in Canada; these include the golden eagle and the red-headed woodpecker.

Gatineau Park also offers the opportunity to observe the immense size and powerful flight of the great blue heron. This bird is most often found in shallow wetlands rich in fish. Three nesting sites (called heronries) are active in the Park and some 15 others show promise. Great blue herons choose isolated sites for nesting. In the Park, these sites are all found in beaver ponds. These habitats are truly spectacular — the nests are perched close to the tops of dead trees at heights of between five and nine metres.

Gatineau Park Checklist of Birds

This brochure provides a complete list of the birds found in Gatineau Park, along with their level of abundance and their status (nesting, resident, migratory, etc.). It also suggests places to go to observe certain species.

MammalsFauna

Altogether, 54 species of mammals live in the Park and, of these, 14 are designated as endangered species in Quebec and/or Canada. Two of the Park’s potentially endangered mammals are the wolverine and the silver-haired bat.

There are an estimated 2,000 white-tailed deer in the Park. Most of these spend winter on the Eardley Escarpment, which offers protection from the cold north winds. Also, the snow is less deep and disappears more quickly in the spring, allowing deer a greater mobility than in other areas of the Park. The Park is also home to about 2,000 beavers and 150 to 200 bears. One or two timber wolf packs also roam the Park.

Wildlife in Gatineau Park

This brochure briefly describes the most spectacular mammals living in the Park, such as coyote, black bear, timber wolf, white-tailed deer and beaver. It also provides tips on where to find these animals in the Park and what to do if you encounter them.

Reptiles and Amphibians

Twelve species of reptiles, three of which are rare in Quebec (the northern water snake, the wood turtle and Blanding’s turtle), may be found in the Park. There are 17 species of amphibians, three of which are rare in Quebec: the western striped chorus frog, the pickerel frog and the four-toed salamander.

Invertebrates

Many thousands of species of invertebrates inhabit the Park. It is important to mention some macroscopic groups such as annelids (segmented worms), molluscs, crustaceans, spiders and insects. One mollusc, the Gatineau tadpole snail (Physella parkeri latchfordi), considered to be very rare and on the verge of extinction, has been identified in four large lakes in the Park: La Pêche Lake, Philippe Lake, Harrington (Mousseau) Lake and Meech Lake. A rare butterfly, the juniper hairstreak (Mitoura gryneus), may also be observed on the Eardley Escarpment where it lives in association with the eastern red cedar.

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Modified: Monday December 5, 2005
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