An Experience AwaitsTake a walk on the wild side at Carolina Raptor Center's Raptor Trail. Our eagles, vultures, hawks, and falcons are waiting to say hello. Check out our calendar for weekly event schedules.More...
Creating Wonder In Children And AdultsCatch wonder by the tail with our formal and informal education programs. Children 3 to 93 will delight the science and natural history of 38 raptor species and how they have inspired human invention.More...
Conserving Birds One At A TimeStaff and volunteers at this hidden hospital in the woods treats over 900 injured and orphaned birds a year – more than any other US raptor center. Over 70% are released back into the wild!More...
Giving Is As Easy As 1-2-3Press the easy button by giving online, via phone or through traditional mail. Your passion and engagement fuels our mission every day.More...
Volunteer Weekly At CRC Adult Resident Bird Care Volunteer Laura Morgan feeds the Crested Caracaras on the Falcon Loop. Photo by Michele Miller Houck.About this imageI slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy. – Kahlil Gibran Adult Volunteer Program - Weekly Commitment - Must be 16 years or older. Adult volunteers work in most aspects of our Medical care, Resident Bird Care and Visitor Services program. We ask for a weekly commitment -- with time off for good behavior! Regular Volunteer Information Sessions are held in order to gauge interest and explain the responsibilities involved in volunteering at Carolina Raptor Center. Volunteer Information Sessions are held at the Edna S. Moretti Environmental Education Center at 6000 Sample Road in Huntersville. Enter through the main entrance and check in at the front desk of the Visitor Center. You will find links to the Volunteer Information Sessions here. SIGN UP IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND AS SPACE IS LIMITED. All sessions are from 10 am - 11 am unless otherwise indicated. Currently Information Sessions are held on Saturdays. If your schedule prohibits Saturday attendance, please let us know and we will work on scheduling a weekday evening session. Contact Audrey Blackburn at ablackburn@carolinaraptorcenter.org with any questions. 1. Sign up and attend a Volunteer Information Session. Volunteer Information Sessions are held monthly and are required before any next steps are taken. At the Information Session you will learn about Carolina Raptor Center and the kinds of things volunteers do. You will meet our Volunteer Coordinator, and learn what is in store for you along the way. 2. Review available positions presented at Information Session There are lots of things to do at Carolina Raptor Center. Please note that VERY FEW volunteers will ever handle birds and then only after many years of experience. Here are some examples of what volunteers can do at Carolina Raptor Center. Medical Volunteers: Take a regular weekly shift in our Raptor Medical Center. You can work in our raptor "ER" helping injured raptors become healthy enough to be released back into the wild. Currently between 50-60 people volunteer in the Jim Arthur Raptor Medical Center. This is the most popular volunteer position at Carolina Raptor Center. Shifts come available sporadically. Resident Bird Care Volunteers: Help us take care of our many resident birds by cleaning cages and preparing food. Cages are cleaned twice weekly, and birds eat every day! Heath checks occur on a weekly basis for a group of birds. Currently, approximately 50-60 people volunteer in the Resident Bird Care area. Visitor Services and Docents: Weekend programming throughout the Raptor Trail means that there are many opportunities to share your knowledge about the birds and the habitats in which they live. Docents lead Trail Trivia Tours, Information Stations, Raptor Meet and Greets, and Behind the Scenes Tours as well as help with special events. Visitor services volunteers help us make the public fall in love with CRC by greeting visitors, answering phones, making calls, and tidying the gift shop. Property Volunteers: With 57 acres of land and 3/4 miles of trails, there is always something to build, clean, repair or maintain at Carolina Raptor Center. Our weekly Property volunteers make sure that stuff works here at Carolina Raptor Center. 3. AFTER attending a session, submit a volunteer application. Do not submit an application if you have not attended an information session and reviewed available volunteer positions. You must apply for an open job as outlined in the information session. A registration fee of $20.00, which will cover the cost of a volunteer t-shirt and name tag, will be required as soon as you are accepted into the program. The volunteer application is being revised. Please check back August 1 for the new version. 4. AFTER submitting a volunteer application, you will: Interview with our Volunteer and Community Engagement Coordinator. Receive placement, if available, in appropriate volunteer job. Agree to the required time commitment for the specific area. Attend a formal training session.
