The Port of Montreal helps to protect Purple Martin colonies

The Port of Montreal is providing financial support to a project aiming to increase the number of  purple martins. These largest North American swallows had their population in Quebec decline by 90% between 1970 and 2014. Spearheaded by the Jacques-Cartier ZIP committee, the project consists of installing four nesting boxes on the Thailhandier flats and monitoring the success of the nesting process. The nesting boxes will be located within the migratory corridor of this species adjacent to Parc national des Îles-de-Boucherville, where flying insects are abundant as a food source for the birds. This project can accommodate up to 80 breeding pairs annually. Eight islands in the Boucherville Islands archipelago are administered by the Montreal Port Authority.