Patient Spotlights
Eastern Screech Owl Injured by a Cat
Oct. 13, 2025In late August, our Raptor Hospital team admitted a young Eastern Screech Owl, Patient #27305, that initially stumped them. Upon…
On the Wings of Migration: Broad-winged Hawks at Carolina Raptor Center
Sep. 09, 2025Carolina Raptor Center’s story began in 1975, when an injured Broad-winged Hawk was brought to UNC Charlotte ornithologist Dr. Richard…
Releasing 7 Young Vultures
Aug. 28, 2025In April, we welcomed two tiny Black Vultures into our care, each weighing barely more than a deck of cards.…
Caring for a Baby Black Vulture
Aug. 11, 2025Patient #27218, a Black Vulture hatchling, was transferred from another facility in South Carolina after an individual initially attempted to…
Cooper’s Hawk Struck By a Car
Jul. 07, 2025A young Cooper’s Hawk, Patient #27146, was recently admitted to the Carolina Raptor Center’s Raptor Hospital after a concerned community…
A Sticky Situation: Rescuing a Barred Owl from a Glue Trap
Jun. 09, 2025Patient #26993 was discovered on a porch in Concord, unable to fly and with an injured wing. The cause? A…
Rescued Barred Owl Nestling on the Road to Recovery
May. 13, 2025On April 21st, a Barred Owl nestling was admitted to the Carolina Raptor Center’s Raptor Hospital after falling from a…
First Baby Owls of the Year
Apr. 07, 2025Baby season has officially begun at Carolina Raptor Center! Over the past month, we’ve welcomed the first babies of the…
Saving a Scavenger: Treating a Turkey Vulture for Lead Poisoning
Mar. 07, 2025On February 1st, our Raptor Hospital admitted a Turkey Vulture suffering from severe lead poisoning. Patient #26876 arrived lethargic, dehydrated,…
Rare Raptor Rescue: Caring for a Merlin at Our Raptor Hospital
Jan. 13, 2025Our team recently had the incredible opportunity to treat a species we haven’t admitted since 2016: a Merlin! This small…
How Bird Banding Helps Advance Raptor Rehabilitation and Conservation
Dec. 20, 2024If you’re an avid birdwatcher, you may have spotted a bird with a band around their leg. With careful observation…
A Hawk Stuck in a Tree?
Dec. 06, 2024When people think about injured raptors, they often imagine collisions with cars or windows, poisoning, or entanglement in man-made structures.…
Eastern Screech-Owls and Car Collisions: Four Recent Admissions
Nov. 05, 2024In just two weeks, the Carolina Raptor Center has taken in four Eastern Screech-Owls with serious eye injuries, all likely…
A Great Horned Owl After a Barbed Wire Rescue
Oct. 07, 2024Our team is preparing to release a successfully rehabilitated a Great Horned Owl that was rescued on May 18th after…
Feather Transplants through Imping
Sep. 09, 2024At the Carolina Raptor Center’s Raptor Hospital, we prioritize keeping our rehabilitating birds in perfect feather condition. However, feather damage…
Young Red-shouldered Hawk with a Broken Leg
Aug. 12, 2024During spring and summer, it’s common for young birds to land on the ground as they develop and practice flying…
Kings Mountain Baby Osprey
Jul. 08, 2024Every year, we eagerly anticipate the return of Osprey to North Carolina. These magnificent birds embark on an long journey,…
An Owl Who Met a Skunk that Fought Back
Jun. 10, 2024On April 6th, a community member found and helped rescue patient #26130, a Great Horned Owl. All those involved in…
A New Nest for Barred Owl Babies
May. 10, 2024After a storm passed through our region on April 4th, a large tree fell in a residential area. As City of…
Bald Eagle with a Fishing Hook in its Beak
Apr. 09, 2024On March 3rd, we received a juvenile Bald Eagle with a fishing hook stuck in its beak. The hook damaged…
First Baby Owlet of the 2024 Season
Mar. 12, 2024On February 26th, we admitted the first baby of the season, a 2-week-old Great Horned owlet! Amazingly, he did not…
A Barred Owl with an Eye Injury
Feb. 13, 2024Oftentimes, we don’t know a patient’s history before admittance to our hospital, as in the case of Patient #25895, a…
Cooper’s Hawk Injured from a Window Strike
Jan. 09, 2024An immature Cooper’s Hawk was admitted to our Raptor Hospital on October 26th after hitting a window in Highpoint, NC. …
