Strawberry Island bounds one edge of a 400-acre (160 ha) area of shallow river known as the "Strawberry Island – Motor Island Shallows", recognized as the Niagara River's largest riverine littoral zone, a valuable type of fish and wildlife habitat that is regionally rare. The shallows were found to be one of two major spawning areas for muskellunge in the Niagara River in the 1970s, as well as being productive habitat for other game fish species. The area is also recognized as an important overwintering area for waterfowl.[1]