The Center for Birds of Prey, Awendaw

Learned a lot here. Flight demo was fascinating. Seeing raptors like hawk, owl, black kite and buzzard up close like that and to view their wing grace and power! Amazing! Jack Hanah visited here and said, "I have traveled worldwide and seen countless centers and this is the absolute best of it's kind I have ever seen anywhere!" I will say, I had a hard time seeing the other birds in enclosures and felt kinda sad, but this avian center is a sanctuary for injured or otherwise outcast birds that would not be able to survive if released back into the wild. The center is also a conservatory and environmental educational research center to help identify issues that are causing extinction of certain species. As the education facilitator explained, due to the environmental sensitivities of birds, "if the birds go, we go". Their efforts at the center are important to all of humanity. Whatever effects birds first, will affect us next. Their enclosures are outdoors in a beautiful, natural and peaceful/quiet setting, and they are very well cared for. But, I debated with myself...if I were a bird which would I choose? Long, safe life in an enclosed sanctuary, never really getting to fly free? Or short life of freedom and and potentially treacherous end out in the wild? I haven't come to a conclusion yet, but I am grateful to have had the chance to learn more about these magical creatures. If y'all are ever in or near South Carolina, this place is definately worth experiencing!

Great tour and the people who work there really care about what they are doing. Excellent in being truthful but kind, that humans are the the reason so many animals are injured and that we have the power to do better by our world :)