Chaplin Lake and its surrounding shore are part of the Chaplin Lake (SK 033) Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada. The Chaplin Lake IBA covers an area  encompassing the lake and its shoreline. Up to about 30 different species of shore birds, totalling about 100,000 individuals, visit the lake and the IBA site each year.
Chaplin Lake and its shoreline are an essential stopover point for migratory shore birds in Canada. The Chaplin Lake IBA, which includes the lake and surrounding areas, provides a habitat for approximately 100,000 shore birds from around 30 different species each year.