Young Explorers Bird Camp
Since 2016, Explos-Nature has been offering a specialized Young Ornithologist Workshop, in addition to its other marine biology and marine mammal camps. In 2024, this camp is made possible thanks to the support of QuébecOiseaux and the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. This specialized activity gives aspiring ornithologists the opportunity to discover and develop their bird identification skills by taking part in a variety of activities. The camp is designed to be instructive without being academic, and to support each youngster individually as they progress.
Local excursions
Under the supervision of a team of three professional ornithologists and activity leader, the youngsters go on excursions to several sites in the region, renowned for their diversity. They take part in research activities such as visual counts, point counts and passerine banding.
The camp takes place in mid-August, when bird migration begins, giving the youngsters the chance to observe over a hundred species of birds in just a few days. The maximum number of participants is 12, aged 12 to 17.
An introduction to passerine bird banding
In addition to guided excursions to discover the region’s birdlife, the workshop also offers several mornings of bird banding. Participation in this research program, supervised by experienced ornithologists, gives participants the opportunity to understand the role of this activity in gathering essential bird data. The program also includes various specialized workshops and a cruise on the St. Lawrence River. The central objective of this activity is to develop knowledge of the behavior, distribution and ecology of avian species, while raising teenagers’ awareness of the threats they face.
The discovery of an exceptional region
The workshop is located in the Haute-Côte-Nord region, whose gateway is the village of Tadoussac, famous for its marine mammal-watching activities. However, the richness of this region is not limited to cetaceans; it is also a major birdwatching hotspot in Quebec. According to the eBird participatory science platform, the Upper-North-Shore is the RCM where the greatest diversity of bird species has been observed in the province, with a total of 360 species. At the Tadoussac dunes alone, 276 species were recorded, making this site the second richest in Quebec after the Cap-Tourmente National Wildlife Area.