Northwestern
Interior Forest
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Northwestern
Interior Forest The interplay of elevation, permafrost, surface water,
fire, and aspect creates an extensive patchwork of ecological types.
Forested habitat in the region is dominated by white spruce, black
spruce, poplars, and paper birch. Tall shrub communities occur along
rivers, drainages, and near tree-line. Bogs, consisting of low shrubs
and shrub-graminoid communities, are common in the lowlands. Alpine
dwarf scrub communities are common throughout mountainous regions, and
the highest elevations are generally devoid of vegetation. Lowlands,
bottomlands, and flats harbor many species of migrating and breeding
ducks (e.g., Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal) and
swans. These and the forested lowlands and uplands support breeding
shorebirds, such as Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Purple, White-rumped,
Buff-breasted, Solitary, and Spotted Sandpipers, Sanderling, and Common
Snipe. American Golden-Plovers and Surfbirds are found in alpine
habitats in mountainous eco-regions. Western Sandpiper, Long-billed
Dowitcher, Short-billed Dowitcher, Hudsonian Godwit, and Dunlin use
stopover sites along the coast that are also primary wintering habitat
for Rock Sandpipers. The suite of passerines inhabiting upland
communities in the region includes Boreal Chickadee; Swainson's and
Gray-cheeked Thrush; American Pipit; White-crowned, American Tree,
Harris's, and Fox Sparrows; Snow Bunting; and Common Redpoll. At high
elevations, Horned Lark and Lapland Longspur are common breeders.
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