Birds of Arctic Bay

55 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Arctic Bay (Nunavut) since 2010, across 3,319 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Glaucous Gull, Common Raven and Snow Bunting.

Water shapes this list. 63% of records near Arctic Bay are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull and Red-throated Diver lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Common Raven is still the most logged backyard bird.

Records peak in June and are lowest in December — about 339.8 times as many in the busiest month. Part of that is birds (migrants and breeding arrivals), part is people: more birders are out in good weather, so treat the curve as activity, not a census.

Gjoa Haven, 389 mi to the south-west, has a similar number of species on record (59 against 55). Birds logged far more often around Arctic Bay than there include Common Raven, Iceland Gull, Red-throated Diver and Pacific Loon.

Daylight runs from 24 h 0 min at midsummer to 0 h 0 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 4:13 AM in mid-April and — in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.

• Common Raven

  Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Snow Bunting

  Cracked corn · Millet (scattered on open ground or snow)

• Lapland Longspur

  Cracked corn · Millet (on bare open ground)

• Common Redpoll

  Nyjer · Hulled sunflower

• Horned Lark

  Cracked corn · Millet (on bare ground)

• Yellow-rumped Warbler

  Suet · Hulled sunflower

• Gjoa Haven389 mi south-west · 59 species
• Naujaat450 mi south · 43 species
• Cambridge Bay518 mi west · 89 species
• Coral Harbour616 mi south · 32 species
• Baker Lake659 mi south-west · 59 species
• Rankin Inlet728 mi south · 84 species