Reviews of Pacific Northwest Raptors (Zoo)

ian small

Really informative amd interesting. Did a group show and had a wander. My Inlaws paid so I'm not going to judge with cost in mind. I thought it was worth a visit especially if you have nice weather.

Laila Pera

Always fascinating. They do very important conservation work and present it in a family friendly amazing way.

David N

The Raptor Experience exceeded our expectations. We had a very friendly, knowledgeable and patient guide. To be able to hold the raptors and see them in flight was incredible.

Linda Sun

I want to come back already! We did the closer experience which included the fly demo and hawk walk. We stayed for 2 bird shows as its different birds each show. We learned so much. Felt so fortunate to gotten so close to these birds of prey. Just amazing. Keep up the good work

Della Preston

Amazing visit, I learned lots and appreciated hearing about the care provided to the raptors.

Lisa Corkery

I had the best day here with my niece who was visiting during her break from university in Ontario. I suggested it as one of our outings expecting her to say no, but it turns out she is taking a bird course in one of her Conservation courses and she was very excited! We did the Hawk Walk and I can't recommend it highly enough. We both had Vega, the Harris Hawk sit on our arms, twice! And the flying demonstration was just so entertaining, to be so close and personal with these wonderful creatures was such a thrill. We learned a lot, even how to appreciate vultures and even find them cute. I loved Kyle the Raven, he may be one wing short but still a big flirt. We found the staff very engaging and knowledgeable. We were especially pleased to hear that every bird flies free every day with special care not to have predators/predatees (I just made that word up) out at the same time. You can tell that the staff love and care for the birds like others care for their own pets. You will definitely leave with your favourite personalities and find yourself telling everyone to go and see!!! ????????

Richard Griffin

Beautiful place and so educational you can fly Hawks and they are demonstrations of Eagles Hawks Turkey Vulture Falcons and Owls doing aerobatic's.

Melissa Bachynski

Such a fabulous resource and fun place to go. From awareness days to hands on experiences, it's one of my favourite places. You can walk through the grounds and see many of the birds, but paying extra for the hands on experience is truly …

Andrea Mailhot

Absolutely once in a lifetime experience. Loved being up close to all the birds. Very informative guide

Tina Phan

Had such an amazing time here! I had no idea what to expect for the flying demonstration, but it completely blew my mind. The birds swoop right over you and it was very educational, entertaining and fun!

Mark Stonehocker

Awesome experience to have a Hawk on my arm! Awesome and beautiful.

Duncan Blackman

My daughter and myself had a great experience. She learned the difference between birds of prey and raptors and the importance …

kim john

Was great they have alot of birds there it was a good experience

Margo Vincent

Wonderful place for children and adults. Demonstrations, classes, walk throughs, and guided walks. Cost reasonable.

Mike Piff

Terrific! Educational! Fun! A great opportunity to get close, closer, and closest to some amazing birds! Don't miss the Marabou Stork, Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, and the various Owls. The demonstration is great! Staff are extremely knowledgeable, friendly and warm. Highly recommended for people of all ages!

Krystle Middle

Very loving atmosphere. You can feel the bond between the birds and their caretakers. Very educational. No high class zoo. Sanctuary vibes.

Tara Hirota

We LOVED our Closest experience at the Raptors! Amanda was a fabulous guide, the birds were so wonderful and the live show was really fun!

Susan Alexander

An amazing place! Be sure to see the flyover demonstrations after you tour around.

gnashings

Absolutely incredible experience, we didn't want to leave!!! The staff is wonderful and obviously cares greatly about the birds, the love is obvious to see. The facilities are clean and well kept, the birds are in excellent shape, and …

Bryan Ver Meer

Everyone at the Pacific Northwest Raptors are amazing and special thanks to Isaac King for helping make our wedding so special. We absolutely love the work everyone does in protecting and raising awareness for birds of prey and highly recommend everyone to make the trip to Duncan. We can't wait to go back and see all the magnificent birds.

Ed Prior

Our first impression was just looking at a bunch of big birds in cages - interesting, but not too exciting, although the interpretive signage was informative. What makes the place worth it is the live show. It's astounding how the birds can be trained, and when an eagle flies maybe two feet away from you you realize how big these birds are and how fearsome their talons and beaks are. The trainer's commentary was very educational. If you have any interest at all in birds of prey, this place is worth a visit.

Krista Jackson

It's fantastic to see so many different raptors in one place. I recommend going during a flying demonstration and asking all of your questions of the knowledgeable staff.

Carmen Ng

What an awesome place to visit! Very cool seeing all the different kinds of birds and learning about them. The flight demonstration was very fun and educational- our presenter, Brooke, was delightful, funny, and knowledgeable! She, the …

Jennifer Chow

Thoroughly enjoyed the flying demonstration. Pay extra if your want to hold the birds and go on a hike with one of them!

NATALIE ROBINSON

This is the 3 time we've been as a family. So much to see and learn each time. So glad to see the new enclosures!

K. Tyrrell

I met Danali, bald eagle, at The Raptors Visitor Centre in the heart of the Cowichan Valley, British Columbia. I was impressed by the staff's dedication to promoting conservation and raising awareness for birds of prey. It's worth a visit!

Cory Cheung

Had an awesome time watching bird demonstrations and learning about them. Definitely a highlight

Marc Tramonte

This is a great stop if you’re looking for something to do and not sure what. Strong collection of birds of prey, flight demos, and a nice low-key nontouristy vibe.

Akzana Klepsch

I love this raptors sanctuary. There are shows every day at 1:30, and the people are so kind. A must for Duncan visitors

Blake Wagner

You get very very close to some birds of prey! Don't miss the show times as the birds are tethered in cages and look to be well taken care of otherwise. But when one flies over your head and you feel the wind from the wings... it sends shivers down your neck. The staff are so knowledgeable and friendly. My grand kids even enjoyed the show and they are both under five. I've been to a few of these bird places in my life and must say this one has been the best yet.

Vanessa Vacalares

I enjoyed the fly demo show. And learned interesting information about birds and conservation. Kids will definitely have fun.

Barbara Hawkings

This is a place we would go back to repeatedly. We paid for 3/5 of us to do the Closest Encounter and it was well worth the money!! The hawk flying in onto my arm left me speechless. Very educational place as well. The birds are free to go at certain times of day but almost always come back (I believe they said 1 hasn't).

J S

I enjoyed this place. Flying demo was pretty cool. The raptors were amazing and it's great to spread awareness for the longevity of Birds and Raptors.

Chris Dillabough

Great staff . Very informative. Great for kids or adults. Many different birds to learn about

Madeline P

We had the best time! We chose the raptor experience and it was so worth it. Amanda was a great guide and we learned so much. Highly recommend. The flying demonstration was also awesome. The host was very knowledgable and he had a great sense of humour.

MKB Hobbies

This was an amazing experience. If you go, pay for the full experience. It seems pricey but having a trained hawk fly from out of a tree and land on your arm for food is an experience you can’t get anywhere that I know of. Holding several bird of prey and seeing there serious predatory eyes as they scanned for food in the bushes around you is unbelievable. To the owners: I’m not into marketing so take this with a grain of salt. You may want to advertise more. My wife only found out about the place because of a ticket auction going in for Victoria. We know several locals to the Saanich area and they had no clue your aviary exists. Don’t worry we sent them your way though.

Michael Van Riet

Amazing one-of-a-kind bird of prey Care center. The birds may touch you as they fly over your head during the show!

Mitch L

Highly recommend this place. Be sure to check out the bird demonstration. You get very close to mid flight big birds!

Warren Long

An amazing, closeup intro to a variety of raptors. Having the birds fly 6" over your head, brushing your with their wingtips is unforgettable. And the size of them landing a few feet away from your face! We visited on a gloomy and frozen day so there were very few visitors, but we still experienced the whole show. The staff and bird handlers are all knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The birds seem to enjoy what they are doing and we enjoyed watching them. Bald Eagle. Harris Hawk. Turkey Vulture, Great Horned Owl. Gyrfalcon. All flew in and around us. Excellent.

Ravneet Dhatt

Highly recommend the encounters!! A great hands on and educational experience. If you can’t dish out the money for it and can only do the general admission, it is still very worth it.

OkamiFlautist

Absolutely gorgeous place with lots of knowledgeable staff on site. I would highly recommend the Closest encounter option for anyone interested in seeing avians up close!

James Murray

Highly recommend! As many have commented, upgrading your admission to either ‘closer’ or ‘closest’ is well worth it. The flying demonstration provided to all admissions was excellent, informative and helped increase the connection to these incredible raptors. The team here is excellent and very knowledgeable.

Nicole Hergert

Very knowledgeable staff, we learned so much and have a whole new appreciation for vultures. The flying demo was awesome, an owl even flew close enough to brush us. …

christopher warren

It was such a great experience.

John Wright Russell

The things I didn't know about our local Raptors! And the visiting ones too! Well worth the two hour experience.

Angela Ung

Never knew we have something like this on the island, so glad I was able to experience seeing some bird up close. Good way to spend part a the day with family.

Original Flow

What a fun little stop! Our daughter loves birds so we really enjoyed the whole experience, the highlight was 100% the live show. They do such a great job with it.

Kaylie Belcourt

Let me start off by saying I have a huge fear of birds but I love animals so when my husband told me we were visiting here, I was a bit nervous. Visiting here has definitely changed my fear of birds. The flight presentation was incredible. …

Andrea Jones-Seguin

We were a few minutes late for our hawk walk today, staff was very accommodating! Really enjoyed the demo as well. Thank you very much!

Caitlin Yancoff

I love The Raptors! The flying demo is amazing and the birds are all very social and quite the performers. Very entertaining and educational. I love birds and I learn something new every time! I recommend you pay up for the “closest” option where you can hold the raptors. It’s an unforgettable experience!

Carlye S

The raptor show was definitely the highlight! If you're heading through Duncan, give these guys a visit! Say hi to Kyle and Gaston for me

Allison Wilson

I learned a lot, the show was very impressive. Love the work they do here, and the birds are very well looked after.

Simon Shaw

Such an awesome place to learn about our raptors. Great shows, awesome close up experience. I recommend everyone checking it out. Lots of parking, easy to find, fun little gift shop. Rates are increased according to your level of interaction.

Jacquelyn Pizzuti

This is one of our families favourite places to visit! I'd recommend doing one of the encounters!

David Gluck

Not sure how anyone can rate this anything less than a 5. Amazing educational and fun resource to have in our community.

Amber Lote

I took my dad here for his birthday this year. It was a truly incredible experience! Everyone there was very nice, extremely knowledgeable, and happy to answer questions. The birds there all have a wonderful habitat to live their best lives, while having their needs taken care of. The owner has brought a passion project to fruition here. We did the "closest encounter". It was ABSOLUTELY worth it. :)!

Kenneth McGeachy

Fun morning. Took our 3 year old. Lots of owls and other birds to look at in their cages and in static display. Saw their vulture Pheonix as well as Twain the sparrow hawk fly in demo. Manwe the bald eagle wasn't up for a demo and just looked on from a nearby tree, but it was still an informative and fun outing for us and our daughter.

Angela Seguin

Beautiful park like setting with clean cage enclosures for the birds. The birds are gorgeous to view up close amd Kyle the one winged Raven is a saucy, silly treat to visit. He's my favorite.

L H

Loved it! Would definitely go back if there's a chance in the future. The demonstration was really interesting and informative. They provide 3 demo every day (in peak season, that means during the summer): 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. A demo will last 30 minutes. The location is kind of far from any other attractions, but it's in a bus route and the parking lot has enough spaces. You can bring your own water and snacks since no café is nearby.

Jesse Hadden

Very cool experience. Definitely recommend doing the hawk walk and holding a hawk. Great place to learn about the amazing birds that roam our skies and ways to protect them.

Jennifer Gamble

Caring, knowledgable, and charismatic staff! Love their approach to rehabilitating these birds and the respect they have for them. Did the 'Closer' exhibition and had a wonderful time!

Yaskov Penna

Great Place...Staff really kind and aswering all questions.

Melissa Honeywell

This place is amazing! Getting to learn about different raptors. I even have learned to appreciate vultures

Ray Hamer

The Raptors is an amazing venue....where else could you possibly get so close to birds of prey. The flying demonstrations are incredible.....you can actually have a Raptor on your gloved arm. There is an incredible assortment of birds.

Kamal Jandoo

The experience was such a great one, super friendly staff, very knowledgeable and entertaining at the same time. Really enjoyed the flying demonstration shows and watching the stork fly after two years! Amazing experience. It's a must see!

Road-Have Mercy

Educational! Fantastic way to get up and close to these amazing birds. The hawk walk isn’t really a walk. You just walk maybe 100m down a trail… a bit disappointing but the amount of questions you can ask makes up for it.

Brett Hux

One of my favourite places to spend a day off. Fantastic work done by passionate folks with these birds. The flight demonstrations are always great and there’s something new to learn, no matter how many times you have been. Opt for the hands on experience if you can, it’s well worth the price difference

Lilian Trousdell

A very knowledgable and welcoming staff, and a thoughtful display of the wildlife created an outstanding experience for my kids and I. The 45 minute flight demonstration was educational and impressive. My kids stayed for 2.5 hours and begged to return for another visit soon. Highly recommended.

James L

Amazing sanctuary and a must visit whilst on the island. The staff are amazingly caring and are clearly passionate and knowledgeable about all of the species they have in care. The flight show is brilliant and very educational whilst also entertaining. Cannot recommend this place enough

Tricia Mctaggart

Absolutely fantastic experience! Interesting flying demo and very knowledgeable staff! Great afternoon with the kids!

Kathryn Ze

We had an amazing time, we did the closest encounter and also caught one of the shows. All super great, staff are very knowledgeable. You can tell the staff really care about the birds and that the birds are well taken care of, which I love. Highly recommend!!

Rick Harrison

This was on our list of attractions that were "go if we have time". I'm glad we had the time. They have several raptors on display, which gives you the opportunity to see them up close. The flying display was a joy to watch. These birds have such power and agility that is amazing to see up close. I would put this in the category of "must do" now that we have experienced it. The co-ordinates for a GPS or map program are: 48.82028 N, 123.66143 W (Decimal), --or-- 48° 49' 13.01" N 123° 39' 41.15" W (Degrees, Minutes, Seconds )

Rachael Dancer

10/10 always come here when I come to BC. Everyone here is super friendly and knowledgeable. The money for the experiences goes to an amazing cause and I will never stop coming here!

Elena Thomas

All the birds are named so you feel like you're meeting new friends. All of the staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Flight show was great and leader was funny! Wished I had opted for a close up ticket!

jamie b

Amazing experience. Went for the “closest” encounter for my family of 4. Amanda was awesome with the kids. Tons of patience and knowledge the entire time. Worth every penny and would definitely recommend to all families or adults.

Bonnie Tilson

It was a great experience. The people there were very informative and helpful. It was a good show. I recommend it to anyone.

Korbyn Forsman

That was freak'n awesome. Will be going back with nieces and nephews when the ever come out again. So great. We did the closest experience and the flight demo twice.

Andrew Stec

My brother and I came here one afternoon a couple weeks ago to see the raptors and take in the demonstration. We also did the encounter and trail walk. I've got to say this is one of the funnest things I've ever done. Morgan did an amazing job with the demonstration, which included an eagle, vulture, hawk, owl and falcon. She answered all kinds of questions and some of the birds fly incredibly close to the audience and even around the seats. Later we did the encounter and trail walk with Mickey. We had the chance to have an Owl, Hawk and Falcon sit on our arm and admire them close up. All the while we peppered Mickey with questions which she expertly answered. Later we went on a forest walk with Mickey and a hawk named Vega. You literally get the chance to have a hawk swoop onto your arm and feed them. This is now without a doubt my favorite thing to do on Vancouver Island....thank you again Morgan, Mickey and all the other great ladies that made our afternoon so memorable.

Justin F

Absolutely fantastic experience. Our host Alex was so knowledgeable, friendly, and fun. We did the CLOSEST experience and it was worth every penny. Very memorable and we just loved it.

Mark Robins

It was an amazing and educational experience for our family. It was worth every penny!