Carolina Raptor Center

Carolina Raptor Center ignites imaginations and inspires engagement in the natural world through the exploration and rehabilitation of birds of prey.

Assistance with offsetting the cost of bird food is one of our greatest needs at this time. Did you know that the Raptor Center resident and rehab birds can consume up to 8,000 mice in one month! Our birds feast on a buffet of other nutritious options including, rats, day-old chicks, quail, fish and some insects (mealworms, superworms, crickets). As a treat, many of our resident birds enjoy berries, grapes and other fruits! Thank you in advance for helping to feed the flock!

Today, the 3/4 mile Raptor Trail is an educational visitor attraction that displays over 30 different species of raptors in Latta Nature Preserve. The new Quest facility scheduled to go online in 2022 will include a 200-seat amphitheater, 40 aviaries housing one of the largest collections of birds of prey in the country. The 13,000 square foot county-owned environmental education center opened to the public in July 2021. Our Raptor Rescue facility treats over 900 raptors a year, releasing 60% of the birds that live for the first 24 hours back into the wild.

Every year, more than 67,000 people visit us or participate in our education programs, and over half a million engage with us through media like Avian Adventures, #EarthOptimismCLT and our raptor rehab blog.