Each year hundreds of birds are brought to the hospital in need of medical care. Wildlife rehabilitation is a cornerstone of Carolina Raptor Center’s work and releasing a raptor back into the wild is one of the most magical components of the process. We try to release birds where they were found or originally injured, but many times that is no longer possible. These birds still need to find homes, which is where the Release a Raptor program comes in.

The Release a Raptor program is an opportunity for individuals, small groups, and even large organizations to experience the thrill of watching a raptor return to the wild. Donations for the program start at $500 with all proceeds going to our Raptor Hospital and rehabilitation work.

Each release is facilitated by a trained member of the Carolina Raptor Center Release a Raptor team. As a Release a Raptor participant, you will receive information about our work at the Raptor Hospital, details about the patient’s recovery, and an opportunity to release the bird.

If you wish to have an intimate gathering at a specific location that you can describe well, you can begin by completing the Release a Raptor Request Form. Our Medical Coordinator will get in touch with you with more details about the release. For all other inquiries please email Matt Lake, Director of Special Projects at [email protected].

A few things to please keep in mind:

• Hawks and Owls represent the most frequent species available for release and are the most likely candidate for your release.
• Birds become available for release as they finish recovering, so we cannot guarantee a particular species will be ready on a particular day.
• The more flexible you are with your date, the more accommodating we can try to be.

Not sure your event is right to Release a Raptor? We have had releases at Birthday Parties, Graduation Celebrations, Weddings, Anniversaries, and Memorial Services. Send us an email and we can assist you in planning.