Witless Bay Ecological Reserve
Encyclopedia
Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is an ecological preserve close to St. John's
, Newfoundland and Labrador
, Canada
.
The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve consists of four islands: Gull Island, Green Island, Great Island, and Pee Pee Island. Immense numbers of birds nest on these islands during the seabird breeding season, roughly from 1 April through 1 September.
The Witless Bay reserve contains North America
´s largest Atlantic Puffin
colony. It is estimated that more than 260,000 pairs of Atlantic Puffins nest there during the late spring and summer. The reserve also hosts the world's second-largest colony of Leach's Storm-petrel
s. More than 620,000 pairs of these birds come here to nest every year. Thousands of Black-legged Kittiwake
s and Common Murre
s arrive for the nesting season
.
A tourism information centre is located in the reserve, by Lower Pond in the town of Witless Bay.
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, 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...
.
The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve consists of four islands: Gull Island, Green Island, Great Island, and Pee Pee Island. Immense numbers of birds nest on these islands during the seabird breeding season, roughly from 1 April through 1 September.
The Witless Bay reserve contains North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
´s largest Atlantic Puffin
Atlantic Puffin
The Atlantic Puffin is a seabird species in the auk family. It is a pelagic bird that feeds primarily by diving for fish, but also eats other sea creatures, such as squid and crustaceans. Its most obvious characteristic during the breeding season is its brightly coloured bill...
colony. It is estimated that more than 260,000 pairs of Atlantic Puffins nest there during the late spring and summer. The reserve also hosts the world's second-largest colony of Leach's Storm-petrel
Leach's Storm-petrel
The Leach's Storm Petrel or Leach's Petrel is a small seabird of the tubenose family. It is named after the British zoologist William Elford Leach....
s. More than 620,000 pairs of these birds come here to nest every year. Thousands of Black-legged Kittiwake
Black-legged Kittiwake
The Black-legged Kittiwake is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae.This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Larus tridactylus....
s and Common Murre
Common Guillemot
The Common Murre or Common Guillemot is a large auk. It is also known as the Thin-billed Murre in North America. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North-Atlantic and North Pacific...
s arrive for the nesting season
Nesting season
The nesting season is the time of year during which birds and some other animals, particularly some reptiles, build nests, lay eggs in them, and in most cases bring up their young. It is usually in the spring....
.
A tourism information centre is located in the reserve, by Lower Pond in the town of Witless Bay.