J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Florida · Southeast

EasyOfficial Site

Habitat

CoastalWetlandMarsh

Best Seasons

Winter

Difficulty

Easy

Best Months

December-March

Entrance Fee

$5 per vehicle

Hours

Sunrise to sunset daily; Wildlife Drive closed Fridays

About This Location

Located on Sanibel Island, Ding Darling NWR protects mangrove estuaries and tidal flats teeming with wading birds, shorebirds, and raptors. Wildlife Drive provides exceptional close views of Roseate Spoonbills, herons, and the occasional American Crocodile.

Location

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Notable Species

Roseate Spoonbill White Pelican Reddish Egret Mangrove Cuckoo Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Live Bird Data

Notable Sightings

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

3/4/202633430, Belle Glade US-FL 26.43582, -80.798951 observed

Yellow-throated Vireo

Vireo flavifrons

3/4/2026San Felasco City Park1 observed

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Leuconotopicus borealis

3/4/20268459 Woburn Court, Windermere, Florida, US (28.448, -81.548)2 observed

Vermilion Flycatcher

Pyrocephalus rubinus

3/4/2026Orlando Wetlands1 observed

Shiny Cowbird

Molothrus bonariensis

3/4/2026Sem-Chi Rice Mill2 observed

Vesper Sparrow

Pooecetes gramineus

3/4/2026Keystone Pinellas Trail (Pinellas County)1 observed

Nashville Warbler

Leiothlypis ruficapilla

3/4/2026Pelican Cove (Private Community)1 observed

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

3/4/202610205 SW Pratt Whitney Rd, Stuart US-FL (27.0800,-80.2602)1 observed

Short-tailed Hawk

Buteo brachyurus

3/4/2026Cooter Pond Park1 observed

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

3/4/2026Newnans Lake--Earl P. Powers Park1 observed

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

3/4/2026Newnans Lake--Earl P. Powers Park3 observed

Blue-winged Warbler

Vermivora cyanoptera

3/4/2026O'Leno SP1 observed

Northern Yellow Warbler

Setophaga aestiva

3/4/2026Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve1 observed

Winter Wren

Troglodytes hiemalis

3/4/2026Sugar Mill Garden1 observed

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Leuconotopicus borealis

3/4/2026Picayune Strand SF--Belle Mead Horse Trail1 observed

Townsend's Warbler

Setophaga townsendi

3/4/2026Wakodahatchee Wetlands1 observed

Townsend's Warbler

Setophaga townsendi

3/4/2026Wakodahatchee Wetlands1 observed

Dark-eyed Junco

Junco hyemalis

3/4/2026GTM NERR--Purple Trail1 observed

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus

3/4/2026GTM NERR--Purple Trail1 observed

Florida Scrub-Jay

Aphelocoma coerulescens

3/4/20262700 47th St W, Lehigh Acres US-FL 26.65939, -81.668732 observed

Recent Observations

Brown Pelican

Causeway Islands Park

3/4/2026

40 birds

Crested Caracara

30546–30566 Okeechobee Rd, Fort Pierce US-FL 27.35086, -80.63537

3/4/2026

1 birds

Loggerhead Shrike

740 W Gulf Beach Dr, Eastpoint US-FL 29.65629, -84.87976

3/4/2026

2 birds

Western Cattle-Egret

SW 167th Ave. (Agricultural Fields)

3/4/2026

6 birds

Swallow-tailed Kite

23239 Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce, Florida, US (27.365, -80.609)

3/4/2026

1 birds

Double-crested Cormorant

23239 Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce, Florida, US (27.365, -80.609)

3/4/2026

1 birds

Limpkin

Sassagoula River

3/4/2026

1 birds

White Ibis

Sassagoula River

3/4/2026

4 birds

Fish Crow

Sassagoula River

3/4/2026

4 birds

Osprey

Sassagoula River

3/4/2026

2 birds

Mallard

Sassagoula River

3/4/2026

2 birds

Common Gallinule

Sassagoula River

3/4/2026

3 birds

Anhinga

Sassagoula River

3/4/2026

2 birds

Boat-tailed Grackle

Sand Point Park

3/4/2026

1 birds

Turkey Vulture

Everglades NP--Flamingo Campground

3/4/2026

9 birds

Black Vulture

Everglades NP--Flamingo Campground

3/4/2026

3 birds

Red-shouldered Hawk

Everglades NP--Flamingo Campground

3/4/2026

1 birds

Northern Mockingbird

Little Duck Key--Veterans Memorial Park

3/4/2026

1 birds

American Crow

Everglades NP--Flamingo Campground

3/4/2026

4 birds

Rock Pigeon

17301 Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce, Florida, US (27.371, -80.502)

3/4/2026

45 birds

Birding Tips

1
Time your visit with low tide for best wading bird concentrations
2
Rent a bike to cover Wildlife Drive at your own pace

Amenities

Parking

Restrooms

Visitor Center

Auto Tour Route

Trails

Nearby Attractions

Sanibel Lighthouse
Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum

More in Florida

Everglades National Park

Vast subtropical wilderness with incredible wading bird concentrations and tropical species.

Dry Tortugas National Park

Remote island migrant trap with the only continental US Sooty Tern colony.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Space Coast refuge with massive winter waterfowl concentrations and diverse habitats.