Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area (NWA) is located about 20 kilometres (km) southeast of Picton, Ontario, along the northeast shore of Lake Ontario. Since the mid-1960s, this section of the Long Point Peninsula has been recognized as an important area for migratory birds. The geographic location and diversity of habitats causes a spectacular number of migratory passerine birds to concentrate at the tip of the peninsula. Also, large numbers of diurnal and nocturnal raptors pass through the area during spring and fall migration. There is no other location on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario where birds are known to occur in such high densities during migration. More than 300 species of birds have been recorded on the point, including songbirds, waterfowl, owls and hawks. In 1998, Prince Edward Point was designated part of the Prince Edward County South Shore Important Bird Area (IBA) by Bird Life International.
Photo: © Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Monarch.
The Prince Edward Point NWA occupies the eastern end of this peninsula, consisting of 518 hectare (ha) of forest, grassland, and wetland habitats. This NWA was established in 1978 and is named after Prince Edward Point, at the eastern end of the peninsula. Due to the tremendous number of migratory birds that pass through the area, the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, a non-profit organization, was established as a Canadian Migration Monitoring Network station in 1995 within the NWA. Every year, the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory bands migratory songbirds (passerine birds), raptors and owls under permits from the Canadian Wildlife Service and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF).
Thirty-one species at risk, listed under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) have been recorded within the NWA. For listed avian species at risk, including the Whip-poor-will, Red-headed Woodpecker and Least Bittern, the NWA serves both as an area of respite during migration and as breeding habitat. Numerous snake species can also be found in the NWA. In addition, Prince Edward Point NWA is an important staging area for migrating bats and Monarchs.