Holiday Hours

The California Raptor Center will be CLOSED Tuesday 12/24 and Wednesday 12/25
&
Tuesday 12/31 and Wednesday 1/1

If you have found an injured bird, please call the California Raptor Center and leave a message
You can also contact your local Animal Services or refer to this list of local wildlife centers that may be able to assist you

Ambassadors on the Glove

Virtual "Meet-and-Greet"

One of the most popular features of our Open House events is the opportunity to see raptors up-close and personal on the glove. While current circumstances mean that we are unable to have this happen in-person, we recreated this experience in video form so that you and your family can enjoy this unique experience from home.

Click on the video links below to get a virtual chance to "meet" and learn about raptors from our volunteers with Educational Ambassadors on the glove:

Ember the Barn Owl

Barn Owl Fast Facts:

Unlike many other species of owl, Barn Owls do not hoot; instead, their vocalizations include screeches, hisses, clicks, and clatters
Barn Owls are extremely widespread, occuring on every continent except Antarctica
Their distinctly heart-shaped facial discs help direct sound to their ears

Forrest the Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl Fast Facts:

Great Horned Owls are capable of hunting prey larger and heavier than themselves, including mammals such as opossums and skunks
Great Horned Owls are habitat generalists, able to reside in a variety of habitats such as woodlands, deserts, mountains, agricultural areas, and even some urban areas
Though the tufts on a Great Horned Owl's head resemble cat ears—or perhaps bushy eyebrows—they are actually feathers

Whistler the Swainson's Hawk

Swainson's Hawk Fast Facts:

Outside of the breeding season, Swainson's Hawks switch to a heavily insect-based diet
Swainson's Hawk plumage coloration varies between individuals; different colors are grouped into categories called "morphs"
Swainson's Hawks are listed as a threatened species in California

Grasshopper the Swainson's Hawk

Swainson's Hawk Fast Facts:

Colloquial names for the Swainson's Hawk include "grasshopper hawk" and "locust hawk", in reference to the dietary habits of the species
Some migrating Swainson's Hawks may travel upwards of 12,000 miles on a round trip
The Swainson's Hawk gets its name from British naturalist William Swainson, who illustrated a specimen of the species

Phoenix the Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon Fast Facts:

The top recorded speed for a Peregrine Falcon came from a falconry bird named "Frightful", clocked diving at 242 mph — and it is quite possible that Peregrine Falcons can reach even higher speeds
Once endangered in the United States, Peregrine Falcons have rebounded and were removed from the U.S. Endangered Species list in 1999
Peregrine Falcons have been colloquially called "duck hawks" in the United States, because ducks are often taken as prey

Elana the White-Tailed Kite

White-tailed Kite Fast Facts:

White-tailed Kites prey mostly on small rodents
During the non-breeding season, White-tailed Kites are known to roost communally, with some roosts as numbering as many as 100 individuals
Young White-tailed Kites have pale eyes, which darken over time to a reddish hue

Jack the Red-Tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk Fast Facts:

Young Red-tailed Hawks have brown tails
The call of the Red-tailed Hawk is commonly used as a generic raptor sound effect in movies and other media
Similar to the Great Horned Owl, Red-tailed Hawks are habitat and diet generalists, capable of living in a range of habitats and preying on many different kinds of animals