Wildlife of Montréal, Québec
Montréal sits on the St Lawrence at the meeting of the boreal forest, the Atlantic corridor and the eastern Great Lakes — its parks and islands host red foxes, beavers, common loons and even the occasional beluga whale downriver. Winter is the standout season: snowy owls, snow buntings and rough-legged hawks arrive from the tundra and the frozen river becomes a raptor highway.
Best timeDecember – February for snowy owls, May for spring migrants along the river.
- 1Mont-Royal has resident red foxes and 150+ breeding bird species.
- 2The St. Lawrence hosts belugas 200 km downstream — one of the southernmost populations.
- 3Beavers were reintroduced along the Rivière-des-Prairies and are now abundant.
Signature species
Curated for Montréal, Québec, each tagged with its IUCN Red List status.
- LC
St. Lawrence beluga
Delphinapterus leucas
Local population listed endangered.
- LC
Common nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
- EN
Wood turtle
Glyptemys insculpta
- LC
American beaver
Castor canadensis
- LC
Peregrine falcon
Falco peregrinus
IUCN codes — EX extinct · EW extinct in wild · CR critically endangered · EN endangered · VU vulnerable · NT near threatened · LC least concern · DD data deficient
Dos & don'ts
Local etiquette that keeps wildlife wild.
Do
- Watch belugas from Tadoussac (2h northeast).
- Report banded snowy owls in winter fields.
- Keep distance — use zoom or binoculars, never bait animals closer.
- Stay on marked trails to avoid trampling nests, burrows and plants.
Don't
- Don't leave garbage bins open — raccoons and skunks are urban regulars.
- Don't approach beaver lodges by kayak in spring.
- Never feed wildlife — human food changes behaviour and shortens lives.
- Don't share exact locations of nests, dens or rare species online.
Spotted here lately
Live from iNaturalist — research-grade observations within 40km, last 30 days.
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