Orphaned raptor chicks, including hawks and owls, arrive in care completely dependent on intensive, round-the-clock feeding and monitoring. As they grow, their diets shift from small, frequent feeds of mice to larger prey such as quail, with older juveniles consuming significantly more food as their strength and flight training increase.

Each bird can spend 60 to 100 days in care, with food costs alone ranging from approximately $390 to over $700 per patient, depending on age, species, and dietary needs. A single mouse costs about $1.30, while quail cost around $2.00 each, and growing birds may consume multiple prey items per day as they develop the strength and coordination needed for hunting.

When combined with staffing, handling, enrichment, and medical care, the total cost to rehabilitate a single raptor chick can reach $1,000–$1,800 per patient over the course of their stay. This estimate reflects typical, otherwise-uninjured nestlings and fledglings; individuals requiring surgical intervention or advanced medical care can significantly increase overall costs due to additional veterinary treatment and labour.

Behind every chick are hours of daily feeding, enclosure maintenance, and careful conditioning to ensure they are strong enough to survive independently in the wild. Your support helps provide the specialized diet, expert care, and rehabilitation time these young predators need to grow into the skilled hunters they are meant to become.

Can you help us raise raptor chicks this spring?