Located on the eastern end of São Jorge, at 400 metres off the coast, this protected area includes the entire land area of Ilhéu do Topo (islet), of about 12.1 hectares and a maximum height of 19 meters.

The islet has a flattened surface, it is mainly composed of volcanic tuffs and basalts and is separated from the island due to erosion.

It presents a great diversity of seabirds such as the Sterna dougallii, the Puffinus lherminieri baroli and the Calonectris borealis. Regarding the flora the Festuca petraea stands out.

It is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) of the BirdLife International organization and a Special Protection Area (SPA) within the Natura 2000 network. Together with Costa do Topo Protected Area for the Management of Habitats or Species, constitutes a geosite of the Azores UNESCO Global Geopark.

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