Avian Conservation Center

The Avian Conservation Center is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization founded in 1991 as the Charleston Raptor Center, to deliver professional medical care to injured birds of prey and to gain the invaluable environmental insight that wild birds provide.

From very modest beginnings, the Avian Conservation Center has evolved into one of the foremost avian centers in the U.S. and beyond, now encompassing the Center for Birds of Prey and the South Carolina Oiled Bird Treatment Facility.

For the more than 20 years since its inception, the organization’s achievements have been made possible by an extensive network of generous and dedicated partners. With significant contributions from volunteers, members, sponsors and patrons, the Center continues to strengthen its efforts in four critical areas:

• Medical treatment for injured raptors and shorebirds due most often to human interference - from single cases to widespread disasters such as contaminant spills

• Education for all ages: teaching the interconnectedness of the natural and human worlds, the risks associated with environmental threats, and a management and conservation ethic for a sustainable future

• Scientific research: into avian health, habitat loss, endangered species, climate change, captive breeding, the dynamics of migration, and possibilities for species restoration and preservation

• Unique visitor opportunity: with a worldwide collection of birds of prey representing 50 species

This comprehensive approach allows us to help forge a deeper understanding of, appreciation for, and commitment to our diminishing natural resources.