Kuugaarjuk Migratory Bird Sanctuary, formerly McConnell River Migratory Bird Sanctuary, lies southwest of Arviat along the Hudson Bay coast. It protects marshes, tidal flats, ponds, and river channels used by huge numbers of nesting geese and other migratory birds.
The sanctuary is also part of a much bigger Arctic wildlife picture: belugas and ringed seals offshore, polar bears along the coast, and caribou moving through the region. Access is controlled, so arrange any visit properly rather than treating it as open backcountry.