Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area

Walk south on the beach from the parking area and you will find a mangrove- and sea grape-lined lagoon, which hosts waders such as Reddish Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills and Clapper Rails. Palm Warblers forage in the sand near the vegetation (an unusual sight) and Merlins and Peregrine Falcons utilize the cover to stage hunting forays. The beach is a resting area for many species of terns, gulls, sandpipers and more. Wilson’s, Snowy and Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and occasionally Roseate Terns, among others, can be found here. The designation of this site as a state critical wildlife area requires special attention from visitors. Florida imperiled species, some federally threatened and endangered, nest here, while others use the area as a migratory stopover. Please do not approach shorebirds too closely, and please heed beach closures around nesting colonies.