The Carolina Raptor Centre is a non-profit organization that aims to educate visitors on raptors, also known as birds of prey. The centre maintains enclosures over a 0.75-mile (1.2-kilometre) nature trail. The zoo-like setup allows visitors to get close to the majestic birds with a variety of educational exhibits and special programmes year-round.
Watch a vulture feeding session presented by one of the centre’s knowledgeable docent volunteers. See native and exotic birds in free flight at a highflying summer flight show. Discover select resident raptors in the Raptor Encounters programme. Learn from the centre’s educators about conservation, training and species facts. You can also see the Family Corvidae and Raptors of the Silver Screen educational exhibits to learn more about these magnificent birds.
Train, feed and care for the resident birds with the Keeper for a Day programme. You will work alongside the Carolina Raptor Centre’s staff to experience the raptor rehabilitation first hand. Train hawks, owls and falcons with the flight team and learn about feeding and examining the resident raptors with professional keepers.
Sponsor a red-tailed hawk or a wild owl with the Release-A-Raptor programme. Be part of the recovery of a raptor and its release back into the wild. With these programmes you will receive information on the bird’s recovery and its final release. The Carolina Raptor Centre takes in over 900 birds a year with its renowned rehabilitation facility. Help these magnificent creatures and be inspired by their release.
Learn about the importance of bird migration with a Migration Tour. Spot a hawk at the top of Pilot Mountain after a 1-mile (1.6-kilometre) hike from the base.
Admission fees depend on the kind of experience you wish to have. The centre is located about a 25-minute drive from Charlotte, North Carolina. Plan your visit to the Carolina Raptor Centre in advance as programmes depend on the season.
Visit the Carolina Raptor Centre to see beautifully proud birds of prey as they’re prepared to return to the wild. Bring binoculars to look for their relatives flying freely.
