Alaska Raptor Center

The rugged wilderness of Alaska is home to plentiful wildlife, and the raptors of the area are in good hands at the Alaska Raptor Center. Located in Sitka, this 17-acre raptor rehabilitation facility has a mission of promoting and enhancing the native populations of raptors and other birds through conservation research, rehab programs, and providing education to the community.

About Alaska Raptor Center

The Alaska Raptor Center borders the Tongass National Forest, and its main patients are raptors—especially bald eagles. As a nonprofit organization, the center is open to the public for daily tours, and more than 40,000 people come each year to see the resident raptors that call the Center home.
The Walter and Suzanne Scott Foundation Bald Eagle Flight Training Center is a popular stop on the tour of the facility, where visitors can enter an indoor area to watch bald eagles as they learn to bathe, fly, and interact in a naturalized environment before release.

History

Established in 1980, the Alaska Raptor Center was started in the backyard of two local Sitka residents and began with the treatment of one bald eagle. The program grew, and in 1983, it moved to the campus of Sheldon Jackson College before settling at its 17-acre location by Indian River in 1991.
Today’s modern facility is the largest bird treatment center in the state, and more than 2,500 people around the world help support the mission as members of the Alaska Raptor Center.

Interesting Facts

The Alaska Raptor Center combines education and an up-close look at some of the most important raptor species in North America. Whether you come to watch the bald eagles or to learn about conservation, it’s a fascinating facility with a lot to offer.

• The Center is a permanent home to about two-dozen raptors and other avian species that are used for public education, including eagles, owls, falcons, hawks, and ravens.
• Every year, the Center takes in between 100-200 birds that have been injured due to collisions, trapping, disease, and electrocution—with about 85% of injuries caused by humans.
• Not all of the avian patients that arrive at the Center come from the area around Sitka! Many are flown in for treatment via regional airlines and Alaska Airlines.
• Volta, the most popular resident of the Center, is a bald eagle that collided with power lines in 1992 and suffered permanent damage.
• Raptors that are rehabilitated but unable to return to the wild or remain a permanent Center resident are moved to wildlife centers and zoos across the country to serve as educational ambassadors for their species.

Visiting the Alaska Raptor Center

Only about a 20 minute walk from Centennial Hall in downtown Sitka, the Alaska Raptor Center is a great place to spend a couple hours getting to know the wild raptors of the state. Two public release events occur each year—typically in May and September—where visitors can witness firsthand the celebration of releasing Alaska’s raptors back into the wild.

Points of Interest

With nature trails, 24 resident birds, and a state-of-the-art Flight Training Center, the Alaska Raptor Center has plenty to see and explore for all ages. There are few places in the world where you can get up close and personal with some of the most majestic avian species, and the Center is the ideal place to spend an afternoon learning about their ongoing mission to protect native wildlife.