Bird Species Found on Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island draws avid birders from around the world every year. The island’s variety of habitats are home to over 240 species of birds! These different habitats are all located within Sanibel Island and include freshwater wetlands, mangrove stands, beaches, dune and coastal ridge woodland.
Sanibel Island’s location is perfect for migratory birds, which make the island their temporary home during the long voyages between the northern and southern hemispheres.
Here is a list of birds to see on Sanibel Island (depending on the time of the year)
- Loons
- Pelicans & Allies
- Plover, Sandpipers & Allies
- Waterfowl
- Gulls, Terns and Skimmers
- Cuckoos
- Goatsuckers
- Swifts
- Woodpeckers
- Warblers
- Jays & Crows
- Gnatcatchers
- Tanagers
- Sparrows
- Blackbirds, Grackles, and Orioles
- Mockingbirds & Thrashers
- Old World Sparrows
- Starlings
- Grebes
- Herons, Egrets and Allies
- Ibises, Spoonbill and Storks
- Vultures & Hawks
- Pigeons and Doves
- Owls
- Gallinules & Coots
- Hummingbirds
- Flycatchers
- Martins & Swallows
- Wrens
- Thrushes
- New World Finches
- Rails
- Cowbirds
- Northern Finches
- Waxwings
- Vireos
For more information on birding and Sanibel Island wildlife please visit the J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
