Birding the High Arctic in Cambridge Bay

​When most people think of birding destinations, they picture lush forests, tropical jungles, or at least somewhere with an average temperature higher than 13C (55F) in July. But here at Meadowlark Birding Tours, we like to push the envelope a little. That’s why we head north, to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, where the tundra stretches to the horizon, the sun refuses to set. But there is good reason, the birds here are unique and the tundra here hosts species that are difficult to come across at lower latitudes. And let's be honest, if your birding bucket list doesn’t feature Yellow-billed Loons, King Eiders, and displaying shorebirds, it’s time for a rewrite.

Located on the southeastern coast of Victoria Island in the Canadian Arctic lies Cambridge Bay, one of Nunavut’s more accessible communities, to give some perspective the territory has no road connections to the rest of Canada and traveling here requires a two hour flight north of Yellowknife. With fewer than 2,000 people living here year round it is still one of the largest communities in Nunavut. Birding in Cambridge Bay is a game of timing, and our tour is carefully scheduled to catch the prime breeding window in July. This is when the tundra comes alive— displaying shorebirds, waterfowl in fresh plumage and Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings fill the air with their songs and arial displays. Upon arrival in Cambridge Bay, we head straight into the field. The crisp Arctic air greets us as we begin by acquainting ourselves with the more common local species, Glaucous Gulls, Arctic Terns and Common Eiders. Birding here is about quality rather than quantity, on our tour we may record just 40 to 45 species, but many of them are true standouts Yellow-billed Loons breed near town and we have a chance to see healthy numbers of King Eiders, Pacific Loons and American Golden-Plovers, and Lapland Longspurs all sporting their brightest colours. Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers and Red-necked Phalaropes are the most common shorebird species, but there are less common ones such as Buff-breasted Sandpipers and Red Phalaropes that we may find while exploring the open tundra. While the density here is low, the openness of the Arctic tundra means there are few places for birds to hide, allowing us to enjoy extended views of key species. This makes it possible not only to study their behavior and plumage in detail, but also to capture clear, high-quality photographs.  For birders traveling from the south, these encounters are nothing short of unforgettable. 

If you are interested in visiting a little-known highly rewarding birding destination, consider joining our annual Cambridge Bay - Midnight Sun Birding tour.