Carolina Raptor Center

The Carolina Raptor Center is a wildlife rehabilitation nonprofit that operates out of the Latta Nature Preserve complex in Huntersville, about 15 miles north of Charlotte. Its primary mission is rehabilitating injured birds of prey for release into the wild. The animals that can't be released — due to permanent injuries or habituation — become educational ambassadors and are housed in large outdoor flight enclosures along a half-mile public trail.

The bird collection is genuinely impressive: bald eagles, great horned owls, barred owls, barn owls, screech owls, peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks, Cooper's hawks, osprey, American kestrels, and turkey vultures are among the species you'll encounter. Because these animals are permanent residents — not wild animals on display — they're accustomed to human presence and visible at close range. You can stand 3 feet from a bald eagle.

Kids who are used to seeing these birds as distant specks in the sky are stunned by the scale and detail of a bald eagle at arm's length.

The facility runs free-flight demonstrations on select Saturdays where trained birds fly through the space with handlers. The difference between watching a raptor in an enclosure and watching one fly directly overhead is enormous — check the event calendar and plan your visit around a demo day.

The center is staffed primarily by volunteers and runs on a nonprofit model — admission is intentionally low. It's one of the best-value family outings in the Charlotte area. Plan to combine with a hike through the adjacent Latta Nature Preserve for a full morning outdoors.