A state-of-the-art Raptor Educational Experience designed for the California Raptor Center’s “Ambassador Birds” will give campus visitors a rare chance to meet raptors up close.
This rendering is a conceptual representation to support planning discussions. Final design subject to change. Architectural services will be selected through a competitive bidding process.
Ambassador Birds and Their Care
A planned raptor educational experience dedicated to raptors will bring these extraordinary birds even closer to the general public, thanks to a partnership with the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden and the UC Davis California Raptor Center (CRC). The new habitat will be funded through philanthropy.
The birds who will call the new habitat their home are the CRC’s “ambassador birds.” The CRC treats hundreds of injured eagles, owls, falcons and other birds of prey each year, returning about 60% to the wild. Select non-releasable “ambassador birds” are permanently housed at this unique and inspiring center.
“The new enclosures will set a national standard of care for our birds while enhancing the visitor and educational experience, and will raise the profile of our unique center.”
Dr. Michelle Hawkins, Director Emeritus of the California Raptor Center
A Legacy of Conservation
For more than 50 years, the California Raptor Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has been dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned raptors and providing wildlife education across the region. Authorized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the CRC is unique in California because of its affiliation with the UC Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
An Educational Experience with Purpose
The new Raptor Educational Experience will bring these powerful symbols of wildlife resilience to the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden — a popular park that draws thousands of visitors each year. Just steps away, a dedicated raptor clinic will improve proximity to medical care and enhance research and training for veterinary students and residents.
The Raptor Educational Experience will showcase the birds amidst California’s diverse native habitats, uniting the Arboretum, with its curated plant collections and the CRC’s mission to educate people about raptors and the important role they play in our environment and in the animal kingdom.
Inspiring the Next Generation
The new facility is designed to set a national benchmark for raptor care, elevate visitor engagement, and expand educational reach. Children from K-12 schools, the general public, and the UC Davis campus community will regularly visit the birds and enclosures throughout the day.
A Vision in Flight
The new Raptor Educational Experience reflects a powerful vision for conservation, education, and veterinary medicine. By caring for non-releasable ambassador birds, rehabilitating injured raptors, and educating thousands of visitors, the CRC demonstrates the profound ways humans and wildlife are interconnected. With philanthropic support, this vision will soar—ensuring that the majesty of California’s raptors continues to inspire generations to come.
