Raptor Center of Tampa Bay

Raptor Center of Tampa Bay We are a conservation organization, working to save the planet! Please call us 813-205-1851 to report an injured bird or animal.

The Cost of Life: A Universal Concern. It is astonishing that the value of life is frequently disregarded. This applies ...
02/03/2025

The Cost of Life: A Universal Concern. It is astonishing that the value of life is frequently disregarded. This applies to all living beings, from opossums and skunks to coyotes. The Cost of Life: A Universal Concern. As wild spaces continue to shrink, the neglect of life's value persists, threatening the world's ecological balance. The consequences of neglecting life's value, whether it be a garden bee or a bald eagle, are far-reaching. When we devalue any life, we compromise our collective identity. The cost of life is not exclusive to human existence; it encompasses all living beings. The alarming rate of species extinction has resulted in an unacknowledged grief. The cost of life is a universal concern, applicable to all species. In the face of unchecked development, it is crucial to acknowledge the cost of life.

Last night, a call was received concerning a distressed eagle in a remote area. Lisa Thompson was able to respond. The p...
02/03/2025

Last night, a call was received concerning a distressed eagle in a remote area. Lisa Thompson was able to respond. The people who initially found the bird had contacted FWC the previous day, but were advised to let nature take its course. 😳The eagle was found to be completely blind in its right eye and exhibited obvious signs of impact. Notably, there were no nearby roads, power lines, or vehicles. The bird had sustained a severe spinal injury, resulting in paralysis from the waist down. Given the severity of its injuries, a humane euthanasia, assisted by Polk County Animal Control, was deemed the most humane solution. This marks the 26th bald eagle incident this season. .

🐦✨ Caption Monday! ✨🐦 Time to get clever! Drop your best caption below and let’s kick off the week with some fun. ⬇️ ...
02/03/2025

🐦✨ Caption Monday! ✨🐦 Time to get clever! Drop your best caption below and let’s kick off the week with some fun. ⬇️

On November 21, Thanksgiving Day, Cathy and Lloyd Terry made a compassionate rescue of a turtle stranded on the road. Un...
02/03/2025

On November 21, Thanksgiving Day, Cathy and Lloyd Terry made a compassionate rescue of a turtle stranded on the road. Unfortunately, the turtle did not survive, but prior to its passing, it laid 11 eggs. Last night, Kim from Swamp Girl Adventures contacted us with the heartening news that the eggs were hatching. This fortunate event underscores the value of our partnership with Kim at Swamp Girl Adventures. Many individuals would have simply passed by the distressed turtle, but Cathy and Lloyd Terry took decisive action. Furthermore, numerous rehabilitation centers would not have incubated the eggs, but Swamp Girl Adventures did. As a result of the collective efforts of these three individuals, 11 additional turtles have been brought into the world. This collaborative endeavor exemplifies our capacity to protect the planet. Cathy Terry

02/02/2025

If you follow us regularly, you may remember the American Kestrel that was shot? She has made a full recovery and was released to the wild this afternoon by Becky Willis, who rescued her.

02/02/2025

It's that time of year in Florida as well. Here are some great tips to get Raccoons! out of your attic without hurting anybody or orphaning their babies.

update: thanks to Denise, the Squirrels have a ride.Are you looking for a way to spend your Sunday afternoon? We have se...
02/02/2025

update: thanks to Denise, the Squirrels have a ride.Are you looking for a way to spend your Sunday afternoon? We have seven baby squirrels in need of transportation from Brandon to Vanessa in Lakeland, conveniently located near I-4 and old Polk city Road. Please text Nancy at 813-205-1851 if you can provide transportation. update: thanks to Denise. The Squirrels have a ride.

We have recently taken in two new opossums at our facility, but unfortunately, one of them is not moving around much and...
02/01/2025

We have recently taken in two new opossums at our facility, but unfortunately, one of them is not moving around much and appears lethargic. The other opossum has sustained a severe eye injury, which we are providing treatment for. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing care for wildlife, we rely on the support of donors to continue our work. If you are interested in supporting the care and rehabilitation of opossums, we would greatly appreciate any donations. The Raptor Center of Tampa Bay, located in Brandon, Florida, can be reached at 813-205-1851. Donations can be made through various platforms, including Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, Zeffy, PayPal, or by mail with a check.

We enjoyed a fantastic evening at Bok Tower, where the theme of starry starry nights took center stage. Our three presen...
02/01/2025

We enjoyed a fantastic evening at Bok Tower, where the theme of starry starry nights took center stage. Our three presentations delved into the world of birds and the stars, exploring how certain species utilize celestial markers for migration. We touched on the topic of migration and were pleased to have Greg Penny accompany us, playing starry, starry night at the outset of our presentation. He also treated us to acoustic music during the meet and greet segment. Kat Harnest, Whitney Erb, Suzie Buchanan, and myself, Nancy Murrah were there with three of our screech owls and our American kestrel, which are our animal ambassadors. We extend our appreciation to Bok Tower for organizing another outstanding event and for extending an invitation to us! And in our typical fashion, we picked up an osprey that was rescued by animal control this evening and taken to Cathy and Lloyd Terry for evaluation on our way home. 

Get ready for another RCTB Nature Nugget! 🐦🌿 Sandhill Cranes are known for their graceful dances and loud, trumpeting ca...
01/31/2025

Get ready for another RCTB Nature Nugget! 🐦🌿 Sandhill Cranes are known for their graceful dances and loud, trumpeting calls that can be heard for miles! 🎶 These majestic birds mate for life and return to the same nesting sites each year. Follow us for more amazing nature facts! 🐦🌾

We've bid a fond farewell to our charming Nanday parakeet today. After taking him in November, we devoted considerable t...
01/31/2025

We've bid a fond farewell to our charming Nanday parakeet today. After taking him in November, we devoted considerable time and effort to helping him overcome his splay-legged condition and adjust to domestic life, given his wild origins. We're ecstatic that he's found an ideal new home with our friends Ken and Jason. This morning's silence is a telling indication of the void he's left. Although his departure leaves us with a sense of loss, we're heartened by the knowledge that he's settled into a wonderful new home, and we're eager to stay in touch and can even visit when we want!

More baby squirrels! We got a call from a good Samaritan who found them in a wood pile in her yard. We asked her if she ...
01/30/2025

More baby squirrels! We got a call from a good Samaritan who found them in a wood pile in her yard. We asked her if she knew where the mom was but she did not. We asked her if she could bring them to us and she said she could on Saturday. She went on to tell us how her family had had pet squirrels when she was little. Linda Harrah immediately headed right out, looked for mom and questioned her. We made the decision that we had to pick them up. They are in our care with other squirrels. Anytime we get pictures of squirrels on furniture. It makes us nervous! Here's a flyer about what to do if you find a baby squirrel. The QR code may or may not work on this particular flyer, but it is a baby squirrel distress call that you want to find on your phone and play that.

The Raptor Center of Tampa Bay is dedicated to providing rehabilitation services for native wildlife. Regrettably, our p...
01/30/2025

The Raptor Center of Tampa Bay is dedicated to providing rehabilitation services for native wildlife. Regrettably, our page has been targeted by individuals leaving rude comments. We would appreciate it if those who do not share our enthusiasm for Birds Of Prey conservation or disagree with our rehabilitation methods would refrain from following our page. Furthermore, any users posting inflammatory or derogatory comments will be blocked. As this is our official page, we retain the right to oversee its content. If our mission and objectives do not align with your personal views, we suggest visiting alternative pages. On the other hand, if you support our cause, please comment below.

Update: thanks to Shaman If you are available to pick up an opossum in Saint Petersburg and bring it to Brandon tonight,...
01/29/2025

Update: thanks to Shaman If you are available to pick up an opossum in Saint Petersburg and bring it to Brandon tonight, please let me know. Text Nancy at 813-205-1851. 

01/28/2025

Another red shoulder hawk went free today. This one in Valrico. Was picked up in September and had a broken wing. Fully healed and successfully flying, It was returned to the Wild today specialist

We are very grateful for Michele Potts tonight who came and got six baby squirrels and is taking them to Vanessa in Lake...
01/28/2025

We are very grateful for Michele Potts tonight who came and got six baby squirrels and is taking them to Vanessa in Lakeland. 3 came from Blue Pearl Tampa, 2 came from a veterinary emergency group north that Kayla brought tonight and 1 came from south Tampa from Melissa Carlson. They are all about 5 weeks old and are ready to move to bigger cages. We're so thankful for Vanessa and to our volunteers who come to the aid of Wildlife day after day. .

Here is a very good example of a large female and a small male red shoulder hawk. Many times people ask us how we know t...
01/28/2025

Here is a very good example of a large female and a small male red shoulder hawk. Many times people ask us how we know the males from a female, and we say based on their size. All Birds Of Prey, the female is larger than the male a term called sexual dimorphism or a fancy term that means the girls are bigger than the boys in birds of prey. These are yearlings so they are both about exactly the same age this year, but you can see the bird on the right is a female, and the bird on the left is a male. .

Address

2002 Elk Spring Drive
Brandon, FL
33511

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 8pm
Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18132051851

Website

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Videos

If you follow us regularly, you may remember the American Kestrel that was shot? She has made a full recovery and was released to the wild this afternoon by Becky Willis, who rescued her. #raptorcenteroftampatampabay #kestrelrelease #icansavetheplanet

Another red shoulder hawk went free today. This one in Valrico. Was picked up in September and had a broken wing. Fully healed and successfully flying, It was returned to the Wild today #RaptorCenterOfTampaBay #Donate #HawkRelease #BluePearlveterinary specialist

We received a call on December 5 from Mike in Lake Wales, who had rescued a bald eagle on his property. We then contacted Cathy and Lloyd Terry, who were at Bok Tower, and they were able to collect the bird and assist in its transportation to the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay. Following an initial examination, the bird was sent to the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, where a fractured scapula was identified. After a period of rest and rehabilitation, the bird was released back into the wild today by Mike, who had initially rescued it. The release took place at Bok Tower. Have a great long life, buddy! The video was taken by Cheryl from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. #Auduboncenterforbirdsofprey #boktower #RaptorCenterOfTampaBay #EagleRelease

Today, Alondra Conseco, an animal control officer from Polk County, had the privilege of releasing a red-shouldered hawk. This hawk was admitted on September 30 in an unconscious state. Lloyd and Cathy provided initial assessment assistance, while Schulyer Long facilitated its transportation. We extend our gratitude to Cathy Terry and Lloyd for their role in facilitating the hawk's release back to its native area. he also give a big shout out to Kim Billy, and Suzy, our flight team. Cathy Terry Billy Young Photography Susan Buchanan

Update: thanks to Kat harnest the squirrel got a ride. Do you know that today is national squirrel appreciation day? What better thing to do, if you love squirrels, than to transport this little squirrel from Brandon to St Pete to another rehab. Hopefully the rain here locally will pass soon. If you can help, please text Nancy at 813-205-1851 #BabyNeedsARide #squirrelrescue #RaptorCenterOfTampaBayBay

Three barred owls were returned to the wild tonight. These are the last strugglers from last year that we had that were left. They have all been together since they came into captivity and were all released together tonight. Godspeed little buddies we know you can catch live prey well and fly well. We've done our best now it's up to you! Thank you Selena and your whole family for helping release them. #barredowlrelease #RaptorCenterTampaBay #WildlifeRescue.

This immature Bald Eagle from January 2 from Clearwater that was rescued by Birds In Helping Hands, assisted by Tampa Bay raptor rescue, treated and transported by the raptor center of Tampa Bay, and rehabilitated by the Audubon center for Birds Of Prey, who returned it to this area and it was released by our own Kat Harnest today in Balm. This video is from Cheryl at the Audubon center for Birds Of Prey. Enjoy! #AudubonCenterForBirdsOfPrey #RaptorOfTampaBay

This little squirrel needs a ride from veterinary emergency group north here. If you can help out, please text Nancy at 813-205-1851 #RaptorCenterOfTampaBay #BabyNeedsARide #VeterinaryEmergencyGroup.

Opossum with broken jaw
Opossum with broken jaw

We are so happy to end the night with our little opossum with a broken jaw just enjoying his dinner. He's getting better every day. He got a little shark cat bed in his crate today and he slept inside there all day. He loves it. #opossums #MisunderstoodMarsupial #RaptorCenterOfTampaTampaBay

May everyone's Christmas Day be filled with joy and wonder. Warmest wishes for a merry Christmas and happy holidays from the raptor center of Tampa Bay.

Red shouldered Hawk release
Red shouldered Hawk release

We expected him to go in the opposite direction! Remember the juvenile red shouldered hawk that @Ed Boker rescued on December 12? It has made a full recovery and was released today. They never go in the direction you think they should! #HawkRelease #raptorcenteroftampabay #ICanSaveThePlanet #birdsinhelpinghands

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We are building the Center in Riverview, FL. Come join us!

We have been rescuing birds in the Tampa Bay area for many, many years. After driving countless miles to get birds to rehab centers around the state we know the need exists for a local Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in this area focused on birds of prey. That is what we are in the process of creating in Riverview FL. Birds of prey that make this area their home, or pass through here on migration, will now be able to get help locally when they need it and easily return to the wild back in their own home territory.