Ecological Notes on Animals of the Churchill Region of Hudson Bay

Abstract

The distribution and ecology of 26 mammals, 6 birds, and 1 amphib- ian are described. Northern range extensions are recorded for the pygmy shrew, arctic shrew, muskrat, heather vole, northern bog lemming and wood frog. A southern range extension of the arctic ground squirrel is noted following its being observed for the first time in Manitoba. Observation of a great blue heron at Churchill, far from its usual range in southern Manitoba, is also recorded. The number of species of small mammals on two-hectare quadrats in marsh, prairie, shrub, and savanna along the grassland-coniferous forest transition in southern Mani- toba was 1.8 to 3.0 times greater than in beach-meadow, tundra, shrub, and open- forest quadrats along the coniferous forest-tundra transition of northern Manitoba, while the total population was 1.8 to 3.4 times greater