Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue & Sanctuary

10/17/2026

WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY — RESCHEDULED!

NEW DATE: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2026
TIME: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Due to the forecast of thunderstorms and inclement weather, Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue & Sanctuary has made the decision to postpone our World Migratory Bird Day celebration originally scheduled for Saturday, October 17.

The safety of our birds, volunteers, exhibitors, and visitors is always our first priority.

Good news!! We're not canceling—just moving the celebration to December 5!

We look forward to welcoming everyone for a wonderful day celebrating migratory birds, wildlife conservation, and the incredible journeys birds make across our planet.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support!

🦅 Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue & Sanctuary
📍 Moccasin Lake Nature Park
2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater, FL

Please share to help us spread the word!

10/15/2026

SHOT! And for what?

This beautiful dark morph short-tailed hawk was SHOT! So unfair!!!

Thankfully we were able to get this magnificent bird to The Animal and Bird Medical Center of Palm Harbor where the injured wing was surgically pinned to give this hawk a fighting chance.

Short-tailed hawks are extraordinary birds of prey, and the dark morph is so striking. These birds deserve to soar our skies, not become victims of senseless violence.

Shooting protected hawks is cruel and illegal under federal law.

We are deeply grateful to the veterinary team for giving this hawk a chance to recover. Now the healing begins.

Please keep this beauty in your thoughts and help us thank the caring staff at Animal and Bird Medical Center of Palm Harbor!

10/11/2026

Wings Across the World! 🦅🌎

Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day with Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue! Migratory raptors will be perched throughout the gardens of Moccasin Lake Nature Park, including Peregrine Falcons, Ospreys, Turkey Vultures, Merlins, Broad-winged Hawks, Swallow-tailed Kites, and Bald Eagles.

Our knowledgeable docents will share fascinating stories of migration, survival, and conservation. Discover the incredible journeys these birds make and why protecting their habitats matters!

A great opportunity for photos and celebration of World Migratory Bird Day!

📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
⏰ 10 AM – 2 PM
📍 Moccasin Lake Nature Park
2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater, FL

Different Paths • Shared Skies • Brighter Tomorrows!

09/25/2026

09/20/2026

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/art-and-ambassadors

🎉 Excitement is in the air! Get ready to be part of something extraordinary at Tampa Bay Raptor rescue's fundraising event. We are opening our first Art &…

09/15/2026

🦉 Everyday Hero: Lou Petersen
Today we celebrate Lou Petersen, one of Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue’s wonderful Everyday Heroes.
If you visit early in the morning, there’s a good chance you’ll find Lou already hard at work in the aviaries. He has a special place in his heart for our Eastern Screech Owls, providing them with such dedicated care that their aviary was named in his honor.
But Lou’s commitment doesn’t stop with the birds. He also puts countless hours into caring for our gardens and helping make the sanctuary a beautiful place for wildlife and visitors alike.
Lou is simply there for the birds—day after day.
We are especially grateful for his generosity. In addition to giving his time and hard work, Lou is a major sponsor of our birds and educational programs, helping us provide excellent care while sharing these remarkable animals with our community.
Thank you, Lou, for your hard work, your generosity, and most of all, your dedication to the birds.
You are our Everyday Hero. 🦉❤️

09/11/2026

🇺🇸 TODAY, WE REMEMBER 🇺🇸
This morning, Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue was honored to join our community at Curlew Hills in remembrance of the victims of September 11, 2001, and to honor the courage, sacrifice, and service that followed.
Joining us was Miss America, our juvenile Bald Eagle ambassador.
Her presence carried a special meaning today. The Bald Eagle has appeared on the Great Seal of the United States since 1782, representing our nation for generations. In 2024, it was officially designated the National Bird of the United States.
Miss America also gives us an opportunity to teach something many people don't realize: America's eagle doesn't begin with a white head.
Young Bald Eagles wear predominantly dark, mottled plumage. Over several years, they gradually develop the unmistakable white head and tail and yellow bill we associate with an adult Bald Eagle.
Back at Moccasin Lake Nature Park, our adult Bald Eagle ambassadors Penelope and Bolt show visitors that familiar adult appearance. Together, these three remarkable birds allow us to tell the story of the Bald Eagle—from youth to adulthood, from a species once in serious decline to one of America's great conservation successes, and from a national emblem to our officially designated National Bird.
You can visit Penelope and Bolt at Moccasin Lake Nature Park Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM–5 PM. Admission is free.
Today, however, Miss America's role was one of remembrance.
We remember those who were lost.
We honor those who served.
We remember the families whose lives were forever changed.
We will never forget. 🇺🇸🦅

09/10/2026

🦅 And this is what we work for…

Today, Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue volunteer and Board Secretary Megan Bringer had the privilege of returning this beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk to the wild in eastern Pasco County.

This is not one of the three Red-shouldered Hawks that came into our care yesterday. This hawk had already completed its rehabilitation and was ready for release.

There is something pretty special about watching a bird take to the sky again.

Rescue. Rehabilitate. Release. ❤️

Thank you, Megan, for making the trip and giving this hawk its ride back home.

Fly strong, little one. The sky is yours again.

09/09/2026

❤️🦅

Meet Daniel.

Daniel found the third Red-shouldered Hawk that came into Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue over the past two days.

He could have made a phone call and considered his part finished.

He didn't.

Daniel gave this hawk a ride.

He drove the injured bird all the way to us so it could receive care. And when he arrived, he made a donation to help, too.

This is what wildlife rescue looks like behind the scenes.

It isn't always a wildlife professional arriving in a rescue vehicle. Sometimes it's someone who sees an animal in trouble and simply decides:

I'm going to help.

Daniel became the final link in this hawk's journey from being injured and vulnerable to being somewhere safe and receiving care.

For an organization like ours, people willing to transport wildlife are invaluable. Every mile someone is willing to drive means we can devote more of our time and resources to caring for the animals already here.

Daniel, thank you for giving this Red-shouldered Hawk a ride, for your generosity, and most of all, for caring.

You are our Everyday Hero. ❤️

And tonight, there's a Red-shouldered Hawk with a chance it wouldn't have had without you.

09/09/2026

🚨 THREE RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS IN TWO DAYS

Yesterday and today, Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue received three Red-shouldered Hawks from the Tampa area.

First, we want to recognize something important: every person who reported one of these birds was kind enough to give that hawk a ride to us. ❤️🦅

Wildlife rescue often begins with an ordinary person deciding not to drive past an animal in trouble.

Two of these hawks are presenting with signs concerning for possible poisoning.

The third has a head injury that raises concern that the bird may have been shot. We were told there may have been a conflict involving pigeons, but the exact circumstances and cause of the injury have not yet been confirmed.

We understand that people love their pigeons.

We fancy pigeons, too.

But native hawks are protected wildlife, and shooting a Red-shouldered Hawk is illegal. There are humane ways to reduce conflicts between raptors and domestic birds without harming wildlife.

Red-shouldered Hawks are anything but silent.

Anyone who lives around them knows their unmistakable, far-carrying calls. They are part of the soundtrack of Florida—calling from neighborhood trees, wetlands, parks and backyards.

That's what makes the words Silent Skies so powerful.

Every hawk lost to poisoning, shooting or another preventable human-caused threat means one less voice overhead.

We don't want silent skies.

We want Florida mornings filled with the calls of Red-shouldered Hawks and future generations who recognize that sound as readily as we do.

For now, our job is to give these three hawks their best chance.

And to the three people who stopped, cared, called and personally transported these birds to us:

Thank you for giving them that chance. ❤️🦅