Water Birds

Little Estero Island Wildlife Area

A favorite spot for birders and a designated stopover on the Florida Birding Trail, Little Estero Island is a significant nesting area for least terns, snowy plovers, willet and black skimmers. It is an important over-wintering area for at least 68 species of shore and wading birds. A designated nesting area is closed to trespassing from April 1 to August 31 each year, and posted by the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission with signs, stakes, and ribbon.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection biologist posts Critical Nesting Habitat. Photo by Arden Arrington

 During the spring and fall migrations, millions of shorebirds make their way to Florida. Many of these birds stop at points along our coastline and remain throughout the winter. Many more stop over for food and a brief rest before continuing their travels. Exhausted and hungry, they land on our shores, pushed to the very limit of their abilities. Many species of Florida's water birds also nest on the beach. They have adapted to the rugged coastal environment of temperature extremes, hurricanes, high winds and coastal flooding. As development of Florida's beaches and coastal islands increases, secure resting areas and nesting sites for shore and wading birds are becoming more and more scarce. Barrier islands and sandbars are favored nesting sites because they afford protection from traditional land predators.

Designation of Little Estero Island as a Critical Wildlife Area increases the chance for successful nesting by the birds, hopefully reducing the possibility of further population declines. The purpose of posting is to decrease human disturbance in the nesting colony, reducing the possibility that the birds will not nest successfully, thereby abandoning the site.

STATUS: The Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area is located on the south end of Estero Island, and can be accessed through the public beach accesses off Estero Boulevard. Avoid all posted nesting areas From April 1 through August 31.

Birds Frequently Sighted
Little Estero Island Wildlife Area

American Egret
American Oystercatcher
Anhinga
Black Skimmer
Black Vulture
Black-crowned Night Heron
Black-necked Stilt
Bonaparte's Gull
Brown Pelican
Caspian Tern
Cattle Egret
Common, least, royal terns
Double-crested Cormorant
Dunlin
Glossy Ibis (occasionally)
Great Blue heron
Great White heron (rare)
Greater Yellowlegs
Green Heron
Knot
Laughing Gull
Least Tern
Little Blue Heron
Long-billed Curlew
Magnificent Frigatebird
Marbled Godwit
Osprey
Pileated Woodpecker
Piping Plover
Reddish Egret
Ring-bill Gull
Roseate Spoonbill
Royal Tern
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Short-billed, Long-billed Dowitcher
Snowy Egret
Snowy Plover
Southern Bald Eagle
Swallow-tailed Kite
Tri-color Heron
Turkey Vulture
Western Sandpiper
White Ibis
White Pelican (winter)
Willet
Wilson's Plover
Yellow-crowned Night Heron

How to Help Protect Our Local Birds

Enjoy your walk on Little Estero Island, Bowditch Point, or through the Matanzas Pass Preserve! But remember that while you are here to recreate, other creatures' survival depends on your behavior. Please follow these simple rules to minimize impacts on our wildlife:

1. PLEASE, KEEP YOUR DISTANCE! When you see concentrations of birds, a good "rule of thumb" is to stay at least 500 feet away. Minimizing disturbance to concentrations of birds is the key to conserving them.

2. WALK AROUND! Please, do not ever intentionally force birds to fly. If you see birds on the beach, in the lagoon, or on a sandbar -- always give them the right of way.

3. KEEP YOUR PET LEASHED! Never approach a bird colony accompanied by your dog. One loose dog can destroy a colony of ground-nesting birds within a matter of minutes.

4. SUPPORT POSTING EFFORTS. Honor these closed areas and encourage others to do the same.

5. HELP SPREAD THE WORD. If you see others disturbing wildlife, let them know about the effects of their actions. Many people don't realize that their actions may be harmful to wildlife. If you see someone maliciously disturbing a bird colony, contact the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, the Lee County Sheriff's Department or officials of the Town of Fort Myers Beach.

Source:  Town of Fort Myers Beach