| Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
| VHMBS | |
 A Pacificgreat blue heron atCadboro Bay beach, part of the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary | |
  Location onVancouver Island | |
| Location | Greater Victoria,Salish Sea,British Columbia,Canada |
| Nearest city | Victoria,British Columbia,Canada |
| Coordinates | 48°24′N123°20′W / 48.40°N 123.33°W /48.40; -123.33 |
| Length | 30 kilometres |
| Area | 1,841 ha (7.11 sq mi) |
| Designation | Migratory Bird Sanctuary |
| Established | October 27, 1923 |
| Governing body | Canadian Wildlife Service |
| Website | Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary |
TheVictoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary orVHMBS is a 30 km protected area on the southern tip ofVancouver Island, Canada, in theGreater Victoria metropolitan area.[1] It is located within the traditional territory of theLekwungen People.[2] Thesanctuary isfederally recognized as a critical habitat for bird conservation, and is home to an estimated 270bird species, many of which aremigratory.[1][3][4] The sanctuary encompasses about 30kilometres ofcoastline, an area covering approximately 1841hectares (4549acres) in total. Of this total, 31 hectares areterrestrial, and 1810 hectares aremarine.
The VHMBS was established on October 27 1923 under theMigratory Birds Convention Act in response to a significant decline in bird populations caused byover-hunting.[4] Today, it remains an important area for bird conservation. In 2023, the sanctuary celebrated itscentennial anniversary.[5]
The VHMBS contains more than 75 plants and animals that are of bothfederal andprovincial conservation concern.[1] The sanctuary provides habitat for an estimated 270 bird species, fifteen of which are listed under theSpecies at Risk Act.[6][7][8][9]
