The Carolina Raptor Center is one of our favorite Charlotte-area outings. We’ve probably been close to a dozen times since the boys were born. And of all the activities that were cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19, Young Vet’s Camp at the Raptor Center was the most disappointing for JB. He had been waiting years to be old enough to attend and then the camp was cancelled due to the pandemic.
So when he and I were looking for a quick outing while his dad and brother were off doing their own things, the Raptor Center quickly came to mind. Located in Huntersville, NC just north of Charlotte, it is about 12 miles and 30 minutes from uptown Charlotte. It is one of several attractions in the Latta Nature Preserve, including a nature center, Historic Latta Plantation, and 16 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. And it never grows old for our family.
The Carolina Raptor Center is a rescue facility for injured or orphaned birds of prey, treating up to 1,000 birds a year. Almost 70% of their birds are treated and successfully released back into the wild. Ones who cannot be rehabilitated to the point of being able to survive on their own get to live out their lives at this unique facility tucked into the woods. A walk along the center’s Raptor Trail will introduce you to over 30 species of residents, from crows to owls to eagles.
As with everything in 2020, modifications have been made to the center’s operations in order to keep it a covid-safe activity. The center is limiting its visitors to 125 at a time (during each morning and afternoon session) so advance ticket purchase is recommended but not required. (We lucked out and bought ours onsite.) While the trail is basically a loop, there are many side trails and smaller loops that in the past have made it possible to wander the grounds, sometimes backtracking over parts of the trail. In order to maintain social distancing, the trail was changed to a one-way path that follows a single course, forcing everyone to go in the same direction with no side adventures.
We’ve always loved the setup of the Raptor Center. The trail through the woods makes it feel like the birds are in their natural environment, despite the wooden enclosures that they live in to stay safe while they heal. We’ve watched the center grow over the years, adding different activity areas like the “Owl Forest Artist Circle” and a castle turret slide reminiscent of something out of Harry Potter. While these areas are temporarily closed during the pandemic, they still add character and interest along the trail.
The Raptor Center not only does amazing rescue work but does fantastic educational work as well. From school field trips to summer camps, countless Charlotte-area kids have learned about birds of prey here. Even just wandering along the Raptor Trail on your own, the signs posted along the trail and at each enclosure are interesting and educational.
And of course the birds themselves are amazing to see. We love all the different varieties of owls and marvel at the power of the Bald Eagle and the colors of the King Vulture. A new-to-us resident was the kookaburra. Although not technically a bird of prey, this laughing kingfisher was fun to watch and took me back to the few months I spent in Australia. And my son’s all-time favorite (thanks to an animal camp years ago where he held one) is the American Kestrel. The residents change from visit to visit, which always makes it fun to come back and wander around, observing and learning about each of them.
As always, the trail conveniently ended so that you had to pass through the gift shop on the way out. The shop actually sells some really unique artwork from local artists. Knowing that many local businesses and especially non-profits are struggling financially during the pandemic, I let JB pick a piece of art to help support the center. He chose a really cool painting of two woodpeckers by local artist Scott Partridge (www.jevaart.com).
While checking out, we were excited to learn from the staff about the Raptor Center’s new facility (a project 5 years in the making) – Raptor Center at Quest. A modern, state of the art facility just down the road from the current center is near completion and work is underway on the new expanded Raptor Trail with all new enclosures, as well as a 200 seat amphitheater that will host “Wings of Wonder” shows. Despite the pandemic, the Raptor Center has its sights set on a spring 2021 opening. We cannot wait!
