To create understanding and knowledge of the natural world and its relationship to humankind

Hawk Creek achieves this mission through:

· Conservation of Earth’s invaluable wildlife, specifically through the breeding & release of one of New York State’s rarest raptors, the Barn Owl
· Environmental education with inspirational and enlightening programs
· Wildlife rehabilitation of injured and orphaned birds and mammals with the goal of returning them to the wild
· Sanctuary for animals that cannot be returned to the wild (Hawk Creek is the 41st accredited sanctuary in the US).

We believe that the heart of Hawk Creek lies within the commitment and passion of all the dedicated volunteers that have generously given their time and talent, 25,000 hours a year!  This teamwork fuels the inspirational energy of Hawk Creek, creating a place to enlighten and inspire the leaders of tomorrow — a place for our children, the stewards of our future, to learn the importance of protecting the environment, and to learn the joy and wonder of the natural world.

History:

Hawk Creek was founded by Loretta C. Jones in 1987 as a small rehabilitation center to teach her children respect and responsibility for nature. In 1991, Hawk Creek became an accredited 501-C(3) non-profit sanctuary. Today, the sanctuary is one of the largest outreach facilities and raptor sanctuaries in New York State, rehabilitating over 500 animals a year, presenting over 2500 educational programs annually, and having bred and released over 180 rare barn owls. Through our environmental education programs, we strive to foster in children a lifelong commitment to preserve our planet.

Every day, our volunteers and Animal Ambassadors educate the community, creating a powerful voice for the environment. We have presented programs in several states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, served as guest naturalists for Princess Cruise lines in Alaska, presented papers at international conventions, and were filmed by PBS and National Geographic, to name just a few.

We do not receive any state or federal funding, and rely completely on the generosity of people like you, people who understand the importance of our wildlife, our community, and our planet.  The daily operating cost to properly care for the animals is sometimes daunting.  Our food bill alone totals more than $40,000 per year.  No matter how many hours we pour into the center and our mission, we cannot do it alone.

Photos:

Click here to view photos of our animals, facilities, people, and much more!

About Us:

Hawk Creek is the United States' 41st accredited wildlife sanctuary.  We are a non-profit group without public funding, entirely staffed by volunteers, yet we successfully rehabilitate hundreds of animals each year for release into the wild while offering permanent sanctuary to over eighty non-releasable animals.  Eagles, wildcats, songbirds, owls, endangered species, and many others are given the highest possible quality of life.  A few of the permanently injured non-releasable animals become educational ambassadors, which both enriches the animals' daily lives and teaches the community via our educational programs.  

Our educational programs, which you can learn more about here, feature live mammals and birds of prey.  We give several hundred presentations each year, and are licensed to present our educational ambassadors in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

We are also actively conserving our environment.  Our award winning barn owl breeding program, combined with education, has turned the tide of extinction for the barn owl in Western New York. 

Hawk Creek is not open to the public.  Our animals' enclosures are designed for their needs, not display, and our wildlife recovery center must be kept quiet.  We do have a few special occasions each year when our raptor center is open for viewing for a small donation.  Our annual festival is a rare chance to see our facilities and our resident animals.  

To become involved with Hawk Creek you can volunteer with us.  We also offer internships.  All our staff are volunteer,s and we are always eager to have more help. 

You can learn about Hawk Creek's animals with our species fact sheets and resident animals page.

We thank you for taking the time to learn about our world's precious wildlife and invite you to help out through donation and conserving our natural resources, and keep in mind an animal adoption as a gift to someone who cares about wildlife.  How often can you sponsor an Andean condor, American ocelot, or bald eagle?

Board Of Directors