Best Birdwatching Spots Near Fort Myers, Florida

Fort Myers, Florida, offers prime birdwatching opportunities year-round for locals and family travelers alike. Fort Myers’ islands, beaches and neighborhoods boast hundreds of bird species, including egrets, herons, pelicans and osprey. Nearly 70 percent of the island is protected as conservation land.

© Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches & Neighborhoods

Visit Sanibel Captiva Audubon Society for its weekly bird walk, held Saturday at 8 a.m. The organization hosts numerous tours departing from various spots around the island, including Sanibel Lighthouse and Bunche Beach. Tours give visitors the chance for an up-close experience with wildlife and popular birds.

Make your way to J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The 7,600-acre wildlife refuge is home to more than 245 bird species. With its various observation towers, the location is ideal for viewing migratory bird populations. Explore from the comfort of your vehicle on the four-mile wildlife drive, where visitors can view tide pools populated with birds like storks, spoonbills and shorebirds.

© Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches & Neighborhoods

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve boasts 3,400 acres of wetland ecosystem and a one-mile boardwalk trail. There are also viewing platforms throughout the boardwalk trail. During migration season, visitors will see a variety of songbirds, including more than 30 species of wood-warblers.

The Sanibel Public Library offers rentable birdwatching kits for kids. The kits include a pair of binoculars, coloring books, information sheets on the local birds and a DVD highlighting prime birdwatching spots.