Visit Raptors in North Carolina

If you like your vacations a little more wild, North Carolina offers lots of birds of prey, including favorites like owls and eagles.

The North Carolina Raptor Center is located in Huntersville, inside Latta Plantation Nature Preserve. It’s 20 minutes north of Charlotte.

The caring staff at the center nurses injured birds of prey back to health before they’re released. If a raptor is too injured to be released back into the wild, the center trains it to be useful in educational presentations. They also educate zoos and other rescues in the care of raptors.

Some of the resident raptors at the center include American kestrels, bald eagles, barn owls, red-shoulder hawks and many more species. You can read about the resident raptors online. They even have names like Willow or Spirit. Watch the video below to learn more about the center where you can observe more than 22 species of raptors along a nature trail.

If you’re a fan of riding horses, visit the nearby Latta Equestrian Center for riding lessons or trail rides. (Warning: Their website opens with annoying music!)

(Image via stock.xchng)