Birdwatching at Percé Rock, Quebec

Percé Rock is a huge sheer rock formation in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, Canada. Percé Rock appears from a distance like a ship under sail. It is one of the world's largest natural arches located in water and is considered a geologically and historically-rich natural icon of Quebec. It is a major attraction in the Gaspesie region.

This and nearby Bonaventure Island is a birdwatchers paradise.The Northern Gannet is no doubt the most common species on Bonaventure, with more than 32,000 pairs found in 1994. The Black-legged Kittiwake and the Common Murre also form impressive colonies, numbering more than 25 000 and 28 000 individuals respectively.

Some species seem to prefer to nest on Percé Rock, such as the Great Cormorant and the Double-crested Cormorant (474 pairs of the latter in 1989). The Atlantic Puffin, found on Bonaventure, does not seem to frequent Rocher Percé.