Shorebird Nesting Season began on February 15, 2026! 

The Town has installed the Little Estero Critical Wildlife Area sign donated by the Friends of Little Estero Island to delineate the protected areas.

For More information on Shorebird Nesting Guidance please check out this presentation presented by MERTF. 

Facts about Shorebird Nesting Season:

• Shorebird Nests, also known as scrapes, have been observed on Fort Myers Beach, so the birds are getting busy
• Shorebirds rely on the camouflage of their eggs with the sand as a primary defense, and will remain still even when approached
  • If you see a shorebird injured with a broken wing, it may be trying to distract you from its nest.  
  • When this happens, carefully back away watching each step to avoid disturbing its nest
• Historical Nesting Sites on Fort Myers Beach include:
  • Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area
  • Carlos Pointe Beach – also known as Bird Beach
  • Beach along the 6000 Block of Estero Blvd
  • Bowditch Park
• Dogs, cats, and other pets are not allowed in the CWA during shorebird nesting season from February 15 to September 1 (Code Sec. 14-4).  FWC Law Enforcement is patrolling the area. 
  • Lee County Parks also do not allow dogs on their property.
  • In all other areas, please keep your dog on a maximum of 6ft leash. (Code Sec. 6-31)
• Motorized aircraft including powered paragliders are not permitted to land, take off, or fly over Fort Myers Beach, unless approved by the FAA (Code Sec. 34-1231). 
• Fires are not permitted on the beach, except by permit (Code Sec. 14-4)

Thank you for protecting our wildlife while on Fort Myers Beach!

For more information please see FWC Guidelines Below: 

Please Note: Signs are placed in the same locations previous to the Hurricane Ian. FWC provided coordinates for the location of the signs. Field adjustments were made due to severe erosion of the beach in the area. Staff will review with FWC when possible to confirm location.