What are the opening hours?

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

Seaside Seabird Sanctuary

Home
United States
Indian Shores, FL
Seaside Seabird Sanctuary

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

On average, over 3,000 sick and injured wild birds are admitted into the hospital each year. Admission and parking for the Sanctuary is free.
(702)

The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, & release of Florida's native wild birds, & spreading awareness through education & community engagement. Founded in 2016, the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured wild birds with the goal of releasing them back into the wild. The Sanctuary’s 1.5-acre property houses a full service avian hospital and rehabilitation center that is equipped with emergency facilities and indoor/outdoor rehabilitation areas. The Sanctuary is also home over 100 permanently injured resident birds on display ranging from songbirds to a variety of seabirds and majestic birds of prey. Most of these birds were admitted to the hospital for rehabilitation but were not able to be released due to the nature of their injuries. The Sanctuary also features daily and weekly demonstrations, an educational center, observation deck, and gift shop. The Sanctuary is perfectly suited for the avid birder; any stroll the grounds of the Sanctuary enjoying the tremendous opportunities for photography due to our resident birds and wild visitors as well as our location right on the beach here in Indian Shores. Tours are available to book for groups small or large. The facility is open 365 days a year from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. Private donations are the Sanctuary's only means of support, as it does not receive any government funding.

10/23/2026

We are just over one week away from Halloween!!!

We invite everyone to come out and join us for our Halloween festivities! 👻

Starting at 11am is a very special spooky edition of our monthly Reading with Rufous program! Come join Rufous, one of our resident Eastern Screech Owls, for story-time and games!

After Reading with Rufous, stick around from 12pm - 4pm for lots of Halloween-themed fun including treats, crafts, activities, avian ambassador meet and greets, and more!

With Halloween right around the corner, we want to remind everyone how we can be mindful of our wildlife neighbors!

🕸 Avoid decorations (webbing, netting, hanging string-lights, ropes, etc.) that can cause entanglement risks to wildlife, or save these types of decorations for indoor use only!

🌽 Avoid putting out any artificial decorations that may resemble a natural food source of wild animals (such as fake pumpkins, hay bales, berries, corn husks or even fake insects, worms, spiders, snakes, etc.). A wild animal may not be able to tell the difference between something natural and something artificial, and these fake items can be toxic or present a choking hazard.

🎃 Pumpkins can be a healthy food source for many different species of wildlife! But, if you are leaving pumpkins out overnight, make sure that they are not treated or painted with anything that may be toxic or harmful if ingested. Also make sure to not leave pumpkins near a busy road or other area that may be dangerous for an animal to approach.

🍬 Do NOT leave candy sitting out unattended. Many candies (though delicious for humans!) can be highly toxic for wildlife. The plastic or foil wrappers around candy can also be dangerous for wildlife if ingested.

💡 Mind the lights! Avoid bright, flashing or strobing lights that may disorient migratory songbirds or other animals passing through. Any spotlights or yard lights should be pointed downward towards the ground (not up into the sky or trees), and should be turned off overnight after all the trick-or-treaters go home!

🪟 Window stickers and decals are a great way to reduce the risk of window strikes for migratory songbirds! What better time than now to put up Halloween or Autumn themed stickers on your windows? They'll look great for the season AND help save the birds!

We hope everyone is as excited as we are for Halloween! Please come join us to celebrate, and make sure to spread the word on how we can all keep Halloween safe for wildlife!

Event Information here:

Reading with Rufous:
10/31 11am - 12pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/1348816233686347/1348816253686345/?active_tab=about

Halloween By the Seaside:
10/31 12pm - 4pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/1492664452243421

10/22/2026

Have you heard any bird calls recently that sounded oddly cat-like? 😺 You may have heard a Gray Catbird!

Our hospital is currently treating 4 Gray Catbirds who were brought in due to injuries sustained from striking windows. These sleek, slate-gray birds pass through our area during the winter months but can be found along the east coast of the U.S. year round. Gray Catbirds are similar to Northern Mockingbirds in that they are able to mimic a variety of sounds, but they are most commonly known for their distinctive cat-like, raspy "mew". They can be spotted foraging in low shrubs and thickets, and you can attract them to your yard by planting a variety of native fruit-bearing plants such as American Beautyberry!

10/20/2026

We just want to show some love for National Veterinary Technician Week! 💙🐾

We have so much admiration for the amazing teams we work with at Avian and Animal Hospital and our other local veterinary partners.

The work of a vet tech is equal parts rewarding and challenging, and they deserve so much gratitude for the knowledge, compassion and dedication they show in their tireless work to keep our pets, domestic animals, and wildlife healthy!

To every vet tech out there (and to all those currently in school or training to become a vet tech!) we want to say THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!

🐶🐄🐍🐱🐇🐁🐓🦉

10/18/2026

One of the many patients we have currently in our care is this juvenile Wood Stork!

When the stork was rescued, the bird was so weak from malnourishment and dehydration that they were unable to stand. Our team began providing critical care immediately to stabilize their condition. After several days of around-the-clock monitoring and care, the stork's condition began to improve.

We anticipate a lengthy recovery process as the stork still has quite a ways to go to regain weight and strength, but we are very pleased with the progress made so far! This week, the stork was cleared to move outside to one of our recovery aviaries for continued conditioning.

Wood Storks are a State-Threatened species here in Florida, having faced population declines as a result of habitat loss and pollution. Wood Storks are an important species of interest for researchers, as the health and success of Wood Stork populations serve as key indicators for the overall health of the wetland habitats in which they live.

10/16/2026

On November 7th Coastal Souls Coffee is holding a charity run to help benefit the Sanctuary as well as our friends at Clearwater Marine Aquarium and a local food bank. Be sure to come out in support of a local business giving back to the community!

10/15/2026

We are so excited to finally share the story of two very special patients! 🤗💓

In early September our hospital received a call about a Roseate Spoonbill in distress, and the initial photo was heartbreaking. Upon arrival, the spoonbill was nearly unconscious and we were unsure whether it would survive. A few days later, we received a second spoonbill in similar condition. We suspect both birds were dealing with an environmental toxins such as botulism or a similar neurotoxin. Against the odds, both slowly began to improve and respond to critical care. Once both birds were more stable, Meatball was finally allowed to meet them and he was SO excited. Meatball had been anxiously waiting, following our hospital staff every time we did treatments on both spoonbills. It wasn't long before they became a trio, and when it was time for the two spoonbills to graduate to an outdoor enclosure we made sure Meatball went with them.

After 6 weeks in our care, we were thrilled to clear both spoonbills for release! We made sure that Meatball was able to say goodbye before they went, and then we set them free. It has been a privilege to be a part of their journey, and we are beyond thrilled to see them get their second chance thanks to your support of our mission!

10/13/2026

Ahead of our Halloween festivities from 12:00pm-4:00pm, we will be starting the day with a special Halloween edition of our monthly "Reading with Rufous"! Starting at 11:00am, Rufous & Amy will be reading a special story about Boo as well as playing a Halloween-inspired game. Costumes are highly encouraged! This is a wonderful sensory-friendly event geared toward families with young children, and Rufous is looking forward to meeting you!

10/11/2026

We were inspired by this very rainy week and wanted to share this photo of our Avian Ambassador, Arnold the Short-tailed Hawk, enjoying a misting session 🌧️

You might notice in the photo how the water is beading on Arnold's feathers, and that is because most birds have some degree of waterproofing! While this varies significantly depending on the species, waterproofing is crucial to thermoregulation as well as flight. The actual structure of the feathers plays the biggest role in allowing birds to repel water; individual feather strands contain barbules and barbicels that interlock to keep water out. While not obvious to the naked eye, most birds have tracts along their body that lack feathers which makes them more vulnerable to becoming waterlogged. Seabirds, on the other hand, are fully feathered with a dense layer of down feathers that trap air and help keep them dry despite constantly being in water.

In addition to the feather structure, most birds also distribute oils from a uropygial gland at the base of their tail while preening which helps condition the feathers and adds another layer of protection. In lieu of a uropygial gland, herons and egrets have patches of powdery down feathers instead! Using a specialized comb-like structure on their middle nail, they collect the dusty powder from these patches and distribute it across their feathers.

We think feathers (and birds) are fascinating 🪶

10/06/2026

We'd like to invite everyone to join us this Halloween on Saturday October 31st for Halloween by the Seaside! 🎃

To start our Halloween festivities, we have Reading with Rufous on our observation tower at 11am which is wonderful experience for families with young children and sensory-friendly. Starting at 12pm, we will have Halloween-themed arts & crafts stations, candy (of course), meet & greets with our Avian Ambassadors, & more! We will also be having a contest for the best bird-themed costume for a very special prize. This is a FREE event and a perfect stop to add to your Halloween celebration.

Parking on-site is limited! If our front lot is full, there is also free parking available on Gulf Blvd as well as the Redington Shores Beach Access lot within walking distance of the Sanctuary.

We hope we'll see you there!! 🦉

10/05/2026

🏫🍎✏️ Happy !!! 🏫🍎✏️

We are very grateful for the opportunity to provide environmental education and outreach throughout our community, and to be able to open our doors to many student interns at our local colleges and universities to learn about and experience the world of wildlife rehabilitation.

We also have many current and retired public school teachers who volunteer here at the sanctuary, and we are always amazed by their hard-work, dedication, and passion!

Address

18328 Gulf Boulevard
Indian Shores, FL
33785

Opening Hours

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

Telephone

+17273916211

Website

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/seasideseabirdsanctuary, http://www.seasideseabirdsanctuary.org/, https://seasideseabirdsanc

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Seaside Seabird Sanctuary posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.