The Raptor Center is doing the Lord's work (this, from an agnostic ). They save and rehabilitate sick or injured raptors, and release them when possible (with a success rate of about 60%). They also educate the community about the importance of raptors in our ecosystem and the harm caused by attempting to keep them as pets. In this mission, they are assisted by the "Ambassador Birds" -- birds that are unreleasable, due to disabling injuries or being imprinted on humans. The volunteers milling about, or, with Ambassadors on the glove, are friendly, patient and very knowledgeable. Tito further this mission, they (birds and humans) travel to schools and hold two open houses per year (Spring and Fall). The Open Houses are all-ages, with local businesses providing free snacks, beer and wine. super Owl Brewing (yes, that is SOB) is a consistent beer donor. read more

See all

I had no idea there what's the raptor center this close to Sacramento! I was on Facebook when an advertisement for a free open house at the California Raptor Center at UC Davis popped up in my feed. We went today. Apparently, these open houses happen in May and October every year and Center is open throughout the year to the public. You can see rehabilitated birds that can no longer be released to the wild that are often used for educational purposes. During this open house, we had live experiences with birds and volunteer handlers. We also enjoyed wonderful, free snacks and beverages. The Raptor Center relies solely on donations and is a wonderful way to spend an hour learning more about native wildlife in northern california. read more

See all

Stopped by the California raptor center during a halfday trip to Davis - be careful it was already a hot day in Davis and the space doesn't have the most shade outside of one smaller air conditioned room with small taxidermy and educational exhibits inside. There's free parking at the raptor center. The place is relatively small and on a quick self guided walk maybe took about 30 to 45 minutes or so. Each of the raptors had some information outside their enclosures about how they came to be at the center and why they remain there. A fun quick experience if you're in the area! Be warned, on Google maps it did recommend that I take over 2 miles of unpaved road on my way out. read more

See all

What a cool place to get up close to raptors: owls, hawks, kites, golden and bald eagles, turkey vultures. Open 7 days a week, limited weekend hours 9-12. Free, can make donations, docents sharing info about the birds in rehabilitation. Hardly any people, plenty of free parking (1 hour only) read more

California Raptor Center - Specialty Schools Near Me - Davis, California

First time back in a while. My original review still stands. A great place to see and learn about these amazing birds of prey. The enclosures make it easy to see them while giving them privacy. Donations greatly appreciated. Can see all in less than an hour. read more

I was in Sacramento for nephews graduation from UC-Davis over the weekend. Couple days spent around UC-Davis campus area and all things UC-Davis. California Raptor Center is one of few facilities or things tied to the school. California Raptor Center they house few different raptors from bald eagle (cool cause it symbolizes), owls, turkey vulture, and more. All of them rescued little sad knowing none of them can be released back into the wild. It not big of place but be surprise amount that I get to see. Best parts is admission FREE. They do take donations through QR code. If around campus something different and cool. read more

See all

What a great place to visit! So many incredible birds of prey to marvel at! The California Raptor Center at UC Davis rehabs injured or orphaned raptors. When they can't be released back in the wild, they stay as ambassadors of their species! We visited during the open house and had a wonderful time chatting with volunteers and learning about the birds. The cool thing is you can visit on other days too and it so worth it! Perfect for anybody and everybody of all ages. read more

See all

The birds are so beautiful! Definitely worth the visit. Recommend going early to get a quiet walk through. read more

California Raptor Center - Specialty Schools Near Me - Davis, California

See all

Looking for fun, free or cheap things to do around the Sacramento area. This would be a hit for little ones. Very educational. Didnt speak to anyone however at this place. The owls are usually asleep of course during open hours but other birds are pretty active. read more

See all

What a hidden gem! Absolutely a fun place to go for all ages. I went for their biannual open house. Super cool to see all the birds and hear about them from the volunteers. There is a lot to see and several interactive exhibits for the kids. I just wish there was a little more space in the enclosures for the birds. read more

See all

Awesome spot!!! Hidden gem in Davis!! This is a great place to take your friends and family to see owls, raptors, eagles, and turkey vultures. The center serves as a clinic for rehabilitating wild raptors, and only hosts those they cannot release into the wild. Lots of information and kid-friendly activities, and a self-guided tour is available for all. Come check it out!!! read more

California Raptor Center - Red tailed hawk - Specialty Schools Near Me - Davis, California

See all

This is a gem in Davis please go and support. It's free but donations are greatly appreciated since they are a non profit & help raptors that can't be released and it's all free, they have merch too, 10/10 I recommend peoples come down,lots to look and get to learn about these beautiful animals a cute date spot or to bring children to have a free and interesting trip read more

California Raptor Center - Specialty Schools Near Me - Davis, California

See all

We have visited the Raptor Center in the past during their open houses on occasional weekends. We had out of town visitors and decided to see the Center on a Monday morning. There are explanations and back-stories to the permanent avian residents (those that can not be released due to injuries that would make it impossible to survive in the wild). As we were walking around we heard loud cries from one bird. Approaching that aviary we discovered a keeper feeding the Peregrine Falcon Goshawk hybrid. It had been a champion in falconry but developed arthritis and his keeper was trying to get him used to staying at rest on the glove instead of getting ready to work. They hope to have him be a bird ambassador. The keeper was happy to share a lot of information about the bird and what the workers do. As we continued walking around we saw two keepers out talking to people, one holding a red-tailed hawk. We didn't expect to be able to interact with staff during our visit so we had a very enjoyable and informative visit. read more

It's not a museum and it's not large... Check it out! I don't know if another raptor center run by volunteers- do you? You'll probably never get close enough to these amazing birds to really SEE them... they move fast, aerial athletes, often flying high or swooping at night. Hawks , eagles, owls are so amazing! Make sure to check out the visitor center, to learn more. The birds here have been injured and have recovered due to the treatment and care of the kind and skilled staff. UC Davis has a veterinary college with devoted students that help too! This place is able to save these birds - and though they cannot fly, they are well cared for. Stop by the Golden Eagle enclosures at the start of the tour- they are HUGE!! I had no idea, and there are two of them... they look fierce and strong with talons that are bigger than my hands. As I said, it's not a huge center but thee are many raptors from small to gigantic to view! The enclosures for each bird are outside- bring a coat or umbrella , so you can enjoy a rainy day. No cost! You can donate- the birds thank you!! read more

See all

What a treasure to discover! A wonderful experience and terrific staff and volunteers. Up close viewing of owls, hawks, golden eagle. A must do visit and great for kids, too. Grateful to have visited especially because this is a working refuge and it is a genuine experience to see this incredible wildlife up close. read more

Incredible experience visiting these amazing birds. Knowledgeable and interesting staff and volunteers. A little hard to get to, but definitely worth it. read more

A fun, free and educational experience. What more could you ask for. Oh the staff is super friendly which always makes for a great experience anywhere you go. read more

The CRC in Davis has many species of hawks, eagles, falcons, owls, and vultures that are native to California. They're kept in large outdoor cages. Most of the birds have been injured and are recovering. Some will be released to the wild soon, but most are "lifers" who'll remain at the center for research and education. Recently the center has has had significantly fewer birds than in the past. Coming here as a visitor is a very hit-or-miss proposition. The center is run for the benefit of the animals and the students who study them, not for educating the general public about these amazing and important species of wildlife. There are very few "ranger talks" and they're not well advertised. Most staffers avoid answering questions, stating that it's not their job or they're too busy. It's really ironic that this happens at a center sponsored by a public university, as I've been to privately funded bird centers that take a much stronger approach toward involving the actual public. That said, there have been a small number of vets and trainers I've met at the center who really do embrace talking to the public. These few individuals have spent quality time with me to answer questions about the birds in their care, generally with the bird in question perched right there on their arm. These were memorable experiences for me. If they were the rule rather than the exception I'd give the CRC 5 stars but alas, they are the exceptions. read more

See all

If you've ever been curious about Raptors - or have already fallen under their spell - you should visit the California Raptor Center at UC Davis. Not only do they educate the general public about raptors, but they also rehabilitate injured raptors. They have one of the highest rates of raptor rehabilitation in the country. The birds that stay on grounds after rehabilitation are ones that aren't able to be released back into the wild. It's well worth the trip. read more

See all

This place was super cool and very informative. The volunteers are very helpful and know what they are talking about. However, I was disappointed they didn't have any Velociraptors. Lol read more

Wow this is such an amazing raptor rescue center. All the raptors are so beautiful. It is very educational and hands on for children. They really go into detail on the raptors anatomy and behavior. After visiting this raptor rescue center we have a better appreciation for these magnificent birds. read more

California Raptor Center - Specialty Schools Near Me - Davis, California

One of the top three things about Davis. Free self guided tours during the week. Eagles, owls, hawks and vultures stare back from their sad enclosures. The other two things great about davis: bike paths, and (tied for top honors) proximity to really cool places in California and Picnic Day. read more

We visited here the 2nd day after Thanksgiving and it was open. The rain was kind of a drag but we were able to visit the indoor museum. The outdoor exhibits were a little depressing and my niece was a little freaked out with some of the raptors. Overall, I can't complain since it is free but it would have been nice if there were more raptors to see. I think a lot of them were not in their exhibit since it was pretty cold. By the way, this place is handicap friendly since we were able to push around a stroller up and down hill. read more

This place is not only one of the most underrated destinations in Davis, but really in all of Northern California. It's entirely awe invoking to be standing a few feet away from a golden eagle that has a 7 foot wing span and 2 and 1/2 inch talons. Likewise I'd never thought I'd be within 15 yards of 7 great horned owls. But there you are. And it's free. And it's entirely for the benefit of the wildlife. I have a difficult time empathizing with people who complain about this place. If you think the facilities should be modernized and expanded then donate. Don't whine on the internet and deter other people from going who might have been motivated by their experience to do something good. read more

This is one of the great things about Davis that doesn't get nearly as much press as it should; the California Raptor Center really is a pretty awesome and unique opportunity to see some fantastic birds at a level of detail otherwise achievable. While I've spent enough time outdoors to get well acquainted with most of our more common wildlife, I've spent more time in the close vicinity of Turkey Vultures than I like (I'm not quite dead yet, give me another fifteen minutes,) but as far as raptors go, my experience is mainly limited to trying vainly to identify the vague flashes of color and wing shape I can glean from the soaring bird. With the Raptor Center you can put a sometimes surprisingly cute and fluffy face to the birds you see flying around on your hikes. those cute little colorful things on the power lines are American Kestrels, and they are just adorable, that big thing you saw swoop into the field was a slightly scary Golden Eagle, and that whooshing sound you heard during that night hike was a rather stunning looking Great Horned Owl. It is somewhat bittersweet though, since many of these birds are unfit for release into the wild, either injuries that prevent them from successfully hunting, or else just had their behavior to changed by exposure to humans. They don't seem unhappy, but there is something (in a very anthropomorphizing way) sad about a caged bird. I do know it's better than the alternative, and I do know that the California Raptor Center does a great job of rehabilitating birds for release into the wild. At the very least though, seeing a Golden Eagle, massive talons grasping the branch, giving you a hungry sort of look, you know pretty well know would win in a fight. It's always good to know your place in the food chain. read more

I had been wanting to come here for years! I am so glad I finally made it and did it during a weekday. I LOVE raptors and have always been fascinated by their beauty and hunting prowess. My friend and I were the only visitors there on a Monday. It was so enjoyable to be able to take our time and not feel rushed. The center is self guided but each cage has a description outside of the cage w/ the name of the bird and their story of how they came to find a home there. This is a MUST visit for any bird lover! read more

One look through the bars of a cage at the piercing gaze of an crippled hawk and you wonder if it ever looks up in envy of its raptor brethren soaring skyward on thermals. The California Raptor Center rehabilitates the majority of injured hawks, eagles, owls, vultures, and other raptors brought to its door and offers visitors an up-close look at these majestic creatures otherwise only seen gliding and swooping far overhead. read more

Raptor Center was a free (accepts donations) wow experience! A gentleman named Hawk (no really, he said his mother named him that), spent over an hour showing us each and every bird and giving us history and detail about each and their habitat and what brought them in. read more

It is an awesome facility, and with the partnership of UCD's Veterinary Medicine department, they really have a lot of resources for rehabilitating sick and injured birds of prey. They also do loads of outreach programs and tours, contrary to what the other reviewer from Sunnyvale said in his review. It is a teaching venue for the students of Vet Med, but it also serves to educate and reach out to the public to raise awareness of a group of animals that most people tend to overlook. On any typical day for a visitor, one will notice student and public volunteers who give of their time to help feed and care for the animals and maintain the facility. It is generally a thankless job, except for the fact that most people who volunteer there receive a profound sense of accomplishment and importance for all of their efforts. As with any other rehab facility, there is a large amount of behind-the-scenes work that has to be accomplished on a daily basis, so of course, everyone there will be busy. However, the volunteers are usually instructed to be cordial and accommodating to the inquiries of visitors, especially if they happened to be working with an educational bird (one who will sit out on a person's arm). There are also tours of the facility that can be arranged in advance. Unfortunately, the CRC has recently lost all UC funding and hence, the center is once again in real jeopardy of having to close down shop. This would be hugely devastating to the local avian populations, the Vet Med students and the general public. So far as local raptor populations...there are generally many farmers who come across nests in their fields, many people who find sick and injured raptors and many local rehab organizations who depend on the services offered by the CRC. The Vet Med students would lose out because there are not many schools in the USA where one can get hands-on interaction to observe first hand the biology of a wild raptor. And of course, the general public would lose out on a unique type of public facility where they can get up close and personal in a way that would never be possible in the wild or at any other rehab facility...something that is immensely and intrinsically valuable. If I were a millionaire, I would fund the facility myself. But, alas, I do not have any such means of income or backing. If anyone knows of a source of grants or other private funds that could be directed towards the facility, then by all means, please share that information with the director of the facility. You can contact him here: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/calraptor/contact/index.cfm read more