Fisherman Island Tours are Complete for the 2022 - 2023 Season

Reservations for winter 2023 - 2024 will open September 1, 2023.  

Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR Staff and Volunteers would like to thank all our guests for a successful tour season and we look forward to resuming our Fisherman Island Tours next Fall. 

Because of the critical nature of its habitats for wildlife, Fisherman Island is closed to the public.

Latest News

A small pond surrounded by leafy green vegetation, a few standing dead trees and verdant forest
Wildlife Management
Trapping
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully manages trapping activities on national wildlife refuges to ensure that safe, effective practices are used, to ensure the sustainability of wildlife populations, and to protect refuge infrastructure. Trapping may be used as a wildlife management tool...
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Visit Us

Though Fisherman Island is closed to general visitation, you can still venture out to catch a glimpse of fall and winter wildlife by registering to join one of our guided tours. 

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      Virginia's chain of barrier islands are one of only 17 sites in the United States classified as a “Wetland of International Importance.” Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge is located on the southernmost of these islands, at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, and separated from the Eastern Shore of Virginia by about one-half mile of water. The refuge, designated at an Important Bird Area, was only 25 acres in the late 1800's but due to the dynamic nature of barrier island it has grown to nearly 2,000 acres today!

      Tours

      Guided tours of Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge are a way to experience this otherwise closed refuge. Be sure to pre-register, these excursions are only offered on Saturdays from October through February of each year, and during special events

      What We Do

      Since this refuge is such an important site for nesting coastal birds, we have an active inventory and monitoring program. Refuge staff use their data and observations to make informed habitat management decisions. The information can also be shared with the broader scientific community to contribute to species research and help partners and other refuges in our shared goal of protecting migratory birds and their habitats. 

      Our Species

      Fisherman Island serves as one of the country’s most valuable stopovers for migratory birds. Across the refuge dunes, swales and shrub thickets provide a vital link for millions of songbirds, raptors, shorebirds, and butterflies to rest and refuel before continuing the rigorous journey to their wintering grounds. With no public access outside of guided tours, its no wonder that the spring and summer thousands of brown pelicans and royal terns nest in the dunes. At the same time, American oystercatchers take advantage of choice beach locations to raise their young and female diamondback terrapins haul out on the island to lay their eggs. 

      A dark bird with an orange bill and a white stripe in the wings flies in front of the ocean

      Identification Tips: Length: 16 inches Large shorebird Bright orange, long, thick bill Head and breast black Dark gray back and wings White belly Large white patch on inner wing White uppertail coverts and dark tail Pink legs Adult: Yellow eye Orange orbital ring Juvenile: Eye dark and orbital...

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      A large brown pelican in flight

      The adult brown pelican is a large dark gray-brown water bird with white about the head and neck. Immatures are gray-brown above and on the neck, with white underparts. Although the Caribbean subspecies resembles the eastern subspecies, the Caribbean brown pelican has a darker non-breeding...

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      California least tern flying. A plain, dark blue sky in the background.

      Least terns are the smallest member of the gull and tern family. They are approximately 9" in length. Unlike gulls, terns will dive into the water for small fish. The body of least terns is predominately gray and white, with black streaking on the head. Least terns have a forked tail and narrow...

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      Grey, white and black bird on sand in the foreground

      Size: 18 cm (7.25 in) in length. Color: Breeding season: Pale brown above, lighter below; black band across forehead; bill orange with black tip; legs orange; white rump. Male: Complete or incomplete black band encircles the body at the breast. Female: Paler head band; incomplete breast band....

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      Adult Black Skimmers are a medium-sized to large waterbird with a long red and black bill, the lower half being the longest. They also possess a black back and cap, white underparts, very short red legs, and long, pointed wings. Juveniles are similar to adults, but have a mottled black-and-white...

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      Projects and Research

      The Diamondback Terrapin Crossing Prevention Project is a collaboration between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel District that seeks to reduce road mortality for terrapins which are listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the state of Virginia. The recent installation of a concrete barrier should both reduce road crossings and improve safety as it will prevent motorists from swerving to avoid hitting the animals. Terrapins that encounter the barrier are forced to to turn around and nest in the safety of the ample habitat found on their current side of the roadway. Look for these barriers running alongside Highway 13 as you travel over Fisherman Island via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.