The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) reports that bald eagle nesting season officially runs Oct. 1–May 15 in Florida. Although the season starts in October, many eagles typically return to their nests as early as late August or early September—including Sanibel’s well-known “DQ” pair near the former Dairy Queen on Periwinkle Way (male back Aug. 5, female Aug. 14).
Local monitoring on Sanibel & Captiva
SCCF staff and trained volunteers are monitoring 10 nesting pairs across Sanibel, Captiva, North Captiva, and nearby offshore sites, coordinating data with Audubon Florida’s EagleWatch program.
Watch eagles live
Catch close-up nest activity via the Captiva Island Eagle Cam from Window to Wildlife:
windowtowildlife.org/captiva-island-eagle-cam
Working near nests? Know the rules
Bald eagles are no longer listed as endangered, but they remain protected under:
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Florida Eagle Rule
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Migratory Bird Treaty Act
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Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
Key buffer: No disturbance within 660 feet of an active bald eagle nest without a federal nest disturbance permit and required monitoring.
Plan work the right way:
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Check if your property falls within the 660-ft buffer using Audubon’s live EagleWatch Nest Map:
audubon.maps.arcgis.com/…/9ade9794b8494d2b84c8dea339ea1428 -
Learn about eagle permits and compliance steps:
myfwc.com/license/wildlife/protected-wildlife-permits/eagle-permits
Share sightings & get help
Have questions, photos, or observations from Sanibel–Captiva?
eagles@sccf.org
