If you have heard of the small, remote town of Churchill, it is probably in connection with the area’s main claim to fame: polar bears. Although the bears that congregate here in the fall are a compelling phenomenon, they are only one of many natural blessings the area enjoys. Depending on the season, visitors also can see an overwhelming concentration of beluga whales, a fine array of migratory birds, and an unsurpassed display of he northern lights. You can also explore a wild slice of Arctic tundra – an ecosystem that typically is hard to reach.

Churchill sits on the western shore of Hudson Bay in a region known as the Hudson Bay Lowlands. Churchill is located in the subarctic, the meeting place of four biomes. In addition to the stunted spruce, tamarack, and other boreal species typical of this latitude, visitors can enjoy the unique marine, tundra, and taiga habitats. This mix of bioregions gives Churchill a great diversity of plants and animals.

When spring rolls around the birds begin arriving in Churchill. With them come bird-watchers, especially during the prime birding month of May. Some hard-core birders travel thousands of miles with the hope of seeing a Ross’s gull. This small Arctic species is rare in North America.