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Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges

Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife RefugesFriends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife RefugesFriends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges

Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges

Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife RefugesFriends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife RefugesFriends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges
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    • Home
    • The Refuges
      • Egmont Key
      • Passage Key
      • The Pinellas Refuges
    • Get Involved
      • Adopt a Sea Turtle Nest
      • Bird Surveys
      • Bird Stewards
      • Guardhouse Docents
      • Refuge Cleanups
      • Membership
      • What's Happening
      • Donate
    • Resources
      • Hooked a Bird
      • Bird Rescue Organizations
      • Egmont and The Seminole
      • Save Egmont Key
      • Friends Matter Newsletter
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  • Home
  • The Refuges
    • Egmont Key
    • Passage Key
    • The Pinellas Refuges
  • Get Involved
    • Adopt a Sea Turtle Nest
    • Bird Surveys
    • Bird Stewards
    • Guardhouse Docents
    • Refuge Cleanups
    • Membership
    • What's Happening
    • Donate
  • Resources
    • Hooked a Bird
    • Bird Rescue Organizations
    • Egmont and The Seminole
    • Save Egmont Key
    • Friends Matter Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Gift Shop

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“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”

“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”

- Teddy Roosevelt


The Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges is a Registered 501(c)3 Charitable Organization

“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”

“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”“The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”

- Teddy Roosevelt


The Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges is a Registered 501(c)3 Charitable Organization

Donate Now

Explore Tampa Bay's Unique Wildlife Refuges

Egmont Key NWR

A birder's paradise, Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1974 and protects a diverse community of animals and plants, many of which are either threatened or endangered. 

In addition to being a critically important Wildlife Refuge and outdoor recreation resource today, Egmont Key is steeped in history. The island played a role as a prison in the Seminole Wars of the 19th century and later it would be home to the U.S. military's Fort Dade, a Spanish American War era installation that featured multiple fortified gun batteries and a small town. 

The southern half of Egmont Key is a federally protected bird sanctuary, and is closed to public use.

Learn More About Egmont Key

Passage Key NWR

Established in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt, Passage Key is one of the oldest National Wildlife Refuges in the United States. Its purpose is to provide a safe home for multiple nesting colonies of native sea and wading birds. 

Originally a 60 acre mangrove island, Passage Key was largely destroyed by a hurricane in 1921. It is now a low lying sandbar that fluctuates in size from 1 to 30 acres. Passage Key is one of the last undeveloped barrier islands in Tampa Bay.

Due to its importance to nesting birds Passage Key is closed to public use. Boaters are advised to observe the bird colonies with binoculars from a safe distance of at least 100 feet.

Learn More About Passage Key

The Pinellas Refuges

Established in 1951 as a breeding ground for colonial bird species, the Pinellas Refuge islands provide densely vegetated mangrove habitat and include Listen, Mule Jackass, Little Bird, Indian, and Tarpon keys, and Whale Island. Tarpon Key once hosted the largest Brown Pelican rookery in the state of Florida.

To protect the abundant seagrass beds, motor boats are not permitted on the flats surrounding the refuge islands. The refuge islands are closed to public use.

Learn More About The Pinellas Refuges

Support The Refuges

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Our Mission

Our mission is to promote conservation, awareness, and appreciation of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges, and to assist the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with their mission for those Refuges. 


We accomplish this through outreach, education, advocacy, and volunteering to protect the nesting and resting wading birds, seabirds, and other wildlife on the refuges as well as protecting the habitat they need to thrive. 


As Friends, we actively:

  • Manage volunteer opportunities that support the efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Tampa Bay Refuges. Join the Friends
  • Raise funds for conservation, preservation, restoration, and education in support of the Tampa Bay Refuges and the National Refuge System.
  • Sponsor periodic Refuge clean ups of exotic plants, debris, and mono-filament fishing line which can damage the wildlife and habitats.
  • Offer public educational programs and field trips that highlight conservation, awareness, and appreciation of the natural world.
  • Provide volunteer docent staffing to the Egmont Key Guardhouse.
  • Organize volunteer bird stewards for Egmont Key's nesting bird colonies.
  • Survey nesting and resting birds at the Pinellas Refuges each month to measure changes in population and evaluate effectivness of conservation programs.
  • Have a presence at local festivals and markets to promote awareness of the National Wildlife Refuge System and our local refuges.
  • Encourage membership to show support of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges.

Become a Member today!

In the shadow of metropolitan Tampa-St Petersburg, Egmont Key, Passage Key, and The Pinellas Refuges dazzle us with white sandy beaches, spectacular nesting birds, and a historic coastal fort.

Join the Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges for a journey into these ever-changing islands where birds can be birds. The film was created by Jenn Brown of IntoNature films, and funded by the Friends group and Speer Foundation. 

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Interested in keeping up with what we are working on? Enter your email below to subscribe to our quarterly email newsletter. Don't worry, we won't spam you!

Friends of Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges PO Box 40782 St. Petersburg, FL 33743-0782

FL DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES REGISTRATION CH27597

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE (800-435-7352) OR AT WWW.FLORIDACONSUMERHELP.COM.

REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

Copyright © 2023 Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges - All Rights Reserved.

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