| IBA |
Rocks off Fourchu Head
Fourchu, Nova Scotia |
| Site Summary |
| NS047 |
Latitude
Longitude |
45.718° N
60.231° W |
Elevation
Size |
0 - 10 m
1.39 km² |
Habitats:
inlets/coastal features (marine), coastal cliffs/rocky shores (marine)
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Land Use:
Not Utilized (Natural Area)
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Potential or ongoing Threats:
Disturbance, Persecution
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| IBA Criteria: Globally Significant: Congregatory Species |
| Conservation status: |
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Site Description
The Rocks off Fourchu Head are located on the southeast coast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Fourchu Head, which juts out over two kilometres eastward into the Atlantic Ocean, is located just south of Fourchu Bay, and approximately three kilometres east of the town of Fourchu. This small series of rocks are located offshore, just off the end of Fourchu Head.
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Birds
Most of North America's Great Cormorants are found in Nova Scotia (>70%). It is thought that there are about 6,200 pairs of Great Cormorants in Canada. A count on the Rocks off Forchu Head in 1983 tallied 145 pairs of cormorants, which represents at least 2% of the North American population. Considering that the population of Great Cormorants is generally increasing on the east coast, there could be more birds present today. No recent surveys have been conducted however to determine if the colony has changed in size.
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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
Cormorants have long had a bad reputation in North America. Due to persecution, in 1900 the Great Cormorant was thought to be extirpated from North America. But, some remote colonies found refuge on Anticosti Island, Quebec, and it is thought that in recent decades it was these birds which increased in numbers and expanded their range southwards to re-colonize Maritime Canada. Cormorants are still sometimes seen as competitors for fish stocks, as a result of which, cormorant colonies are occasionally raided, resulting in the destruction of nests and birds.
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