The île Saint-Bernard or Saint Bernard Island is a wildlife refuge located in Chateauguay, Quebec, just 30 minutes from Montréal. This calm, peaceful retreat is a great escape from the busyness of the city. There are two sections to the island: a small knoll called the Tertre de l’île with free entry, and the Refuge faunique Marguerite-D’Youville (wildlife refuge) which requires admission.
The Tertre de l’île houses a hotel, restaurant, coffee shop, mill, and apple orchard, while the wildlife refugee accounts for the other 93% of the island and is undeveloped with the exception of pathways and a playground. Admission to the Marguerite-D’Youville Wildlife Refuge is $9.30 for adults and $6.85 for children. You can also purchase bird seed to feed small birds (chickadees, nuthatches, and Downy woodpeckers) from the admissions desk.
How to Get to Saint Bernard Island from Montreal
Driving from central Montréal to Saint Bernard takes about 30 minutes. Public transit is also available to the sanctuary. To reach Saint Bernard, take the bus route 25 from Angrignon Station in the direction Saint-Francis – Salaberry N – N-Dame N. This bus takes about 40 minutes. You’ll get off at the Edmour / Vinet Ouest stop, then walk across the short bridge to visitor’s centre on the island.
Where to See Birds on Saint Bernard Island
The Marguerite-D’Youville Wildlife Refuge is home to many different animal species, including white-tailed deer, muskrats, garter snakes, squirrels, and over 240 bird species (including migratory birds).
The park has one large loop around 6.5 km long. You can also take some paths to viewpoints and shortcuts if you’d like. The sanctuary has a map available online, as well as various trail maps throughout the refuge. We did a 5 km loop, skipping the south section due to seasonal flooding.
For the best chance to see lots of wildlife, I’d recommend planning your trip on a day with mild temperatures, as extreme highs may decrease animal activity. The sanctuary is open year round, and visitors can even snowshoe in the winter.
I visited on a nice day in April, just shy of 20 degrees. There was lots of bird activity: we saw chickadees, nuthatches, robins, and various woodpecker species, as well as red winged blackbirds and a cardinal. In addition to birds, we also saw several garter snakes, muskrats, and many well-fed squirrels. (Note: you are requested to not feed the squirrels or other animals beside the small birds. Please resist the urge to feed the squirrels and return any unused seeds to the front desk.)
How to Feed the Birds at Marguerite-D’Youville Wildlife Refuge
Inside the Wildlife Refuge, there are many signs requesting visitors do not feed any animals except “petit oiseaux” (little birds). The birds in question are chickadees, nuthatches, and Downy woodpeckers, which will land in your outstretched hand to pick up a seed.
If you want to feed the birds, use the seeds provided by the sanctuary (ask the admissions office), and place a few seeds in your hand. When you spot small birds in the trees around you, reach out your hand and display the seeds.
Wait quietly and patiently. Watch the birds to see if they are interested. They will often observe you from the nearby branches before deciding to approach. Once they’ve determined that you are safe, they’ll fly into your hand, land there for a moment to select their seed, and fly away to eat it.
Try to stay as still, calm, and quiet as possible to prevent spooking the birds. We found the areas near Pointe Nord, and through the forests to be the most plentiful with chickadees and nuthatches. We did not have an Downy woodpeckers visit us during my tour of the island, but we saw a few in the trees.
As you pass through the wetlands, keep an eye out for muskrat in the water and red winged blackbirds in the cattails. While you cannot feed either, they are very cool to observe!
Food and Drinks Near Saint Bernard
There is a cafe, Café de l’île, and a restaurant, Bistro La Traite, on the island. However, we decided to stop at Kahnawake Brewing Company on the way back to Montréal. This is the first Native-owned microbrewery on a First Nation’s territory in Canada and it opened in 2016.
We sampled some of their soft pretzels with mustard and beer cheese, and two members of our party sampled the beer. Beyond our afternoon snack, they also serve classic pub fare like burgers, nachos, pizzas, and a variety of cocktails.
