The island contains a mixture of shrubs, open areas and mature forests. It is a known wintering area for
bald eagles. A nearby area of the Saint Lawrence River, known as the
Galop Island Pools, remains free of ice during the winter due to strong river currents and turbulence. The approximately of open water is utilized by eagles and other migratory birds as a winter food source. The availability of open water during the winter is limited within the region; only three other areas within the Saint Lawrence River remain similarly free of ice. Approximately of shallow bays along the river channel south of the island include spawning habitat for
muskellunge, causing the area to be a regionally important sport fishing destination. The large, protected, shallow bays with variable water velocities found offshore from Galop Island are rare within the region. The bays additionally support migratory waterfowl during the spring and fall, and additional fish species, including
brown bullhead,
smallmouth bass, and
yellow perch, are abundant. ==See also==