Loudoun Valley Raptor Center cares for sick, injured, and orphaned birds of prey 365 days per year.
Our Raptor Rescue Hotline is available from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., every day!
We check our voicemails often. Please leave us a message if you’re unable to reach us and we’ll return your call as soon as possible.
Call or text us at 571-695-0030
Loudoun Valley Raptor Center is permitted and has facilities to rehabilitate raptors ONLY. For inquiries or concerns about other wildlife please refer to Virginia DWR Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators.
If you find an injured raptor, take the following steps to ensure your safety and the safety of the bird:
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Take a photo.
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Note the location.
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Call for help: 571-695-0030
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Do not offer any food or water to an injured raptor.
Raptors have very specific dietary needs and even the best meat available or their normal diet may be inappropriate for a raptor in certain conditions. Often injured raptors are suffering from dehydration and/or emaciation, so food or water may kill it.
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Do not touch the bird unless instructed to do so by a professional.
The less contact it has with people, the more likely it will be to survive. Stress is deadly for these birds.
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Remember, even a seriously injured or seemingly incapacitated raptor can be potentially dangerous.
Even if you are trying to help the bird, it will be frightened and may perceive you as a threat. Raptors can be quite unpredictable. Be particularly wary of the beak and talons.
It is a violation of state and federal law for members of the public to hold most species of wild birds in captivity. Improper diet or medical care can do permanent damage in a very short period of time. “Good Samaritans” are permitted to rescue birds in distress, but must transfer them immediately to a properly permitted rehabilitator (veterinary professionals, and state/federal wildlife representatives are secondary options). Rehabilitation permits are not a mere legal formality – they are issued to people who have completed extensive (2 years, minimum) hands-on training, demonstrated knowledge regarding proper nutrition, husbandry, injury, parasites, disease, etc. and who have appropriate housing facilities.
Injured, or Just a Chick?
A raptor on the ground may not be injured or in need of help – it may just be a chick.
It is normal for chicks of most raptor species to leave the nest before they can fly. Some raptors also nest on the ground or even under it.
Unless the chick shows signs of injury, its greatest chance of success in the wild depends on leaving it where it is to develop normally under the care of its parents.
The parents find and feed these grounded fledglings for several days as they develop their flight abilities. Many species of raptors have a prolonged adolescent period where, even though the young are old enough to fly, they are still supported by their parents. This is the time period that the young gain valuable hunting experience because they are still fed by the parents when they are unsuccessful hunting on their own.
Should you call Loudoun Valley Raptor Center?
With very few exceptions, leaving a fledgling raptor alone is the best option for increasing its chances of survival. It can be difficult to distinguish between a young raptor that is too young to fly and one that is injured. Fledglings can look like adults except that they might have a ragged or fluffy appearance. They are full-sized at this stage but have not grown in all their adult feathers. If you see blood or an open wound, the bird needs help. Please call us at 571-695-0030.
Did you find a nestling?
A nestling – a chick that is featherless or covered only in down, with its eyes closed – is not normally found on the ground (with the exception of ground-nesting raptors). If you know where the nest is and it is safely accessible, you can attempt to return the chick to the nest. If the nest is not accessible, please call us at 571-695-0030 for assistance.
Injured Raptor FAQs
Q: What happens after you receive an injured raptor?
A: After receiving an injured raptor we start a treatment plan based on its injury or illness and consult with veterinarians at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center or other affiliated veterinarians. After thorough treatment and rehabilitation, we always hope to return our patients to the wild!
Q: How do birds arrive at Loudoun Valley Raptor Center?
A: We receive calls on our Raptor Rescue Hotline, and a staff member or volunteer will either go rescue the raptor or meet an individual who has the injured raptor. We also work with Loudoun County Animal Control (LCAS) and surrounding counties, to transport injured raptors to our center.
Q: Do you work with other agencies or rehabilitators?
A: Yes. We work closely with Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, other local rehabilitators, animal control officers from surrounding counties, Conservation Officers at Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), and with representatives from US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Q: Can I help?
A: Yes you can! If you are interested in helping LVRC rescue and transport injured birds of prey consider donating or volunteering.