Reports on The Raptor Sanctuary at Belize Bird Rescue

Project Report | Oct 26, 2026
Against the odds - three raptors return to the wild

By Nikki Buxton | Director

Finally - our roadside hawk gets her wild life!

Since our last report, three remarkable raptors have returned to the wild, all of which were birds whose futures looked far from certain.

Their stories demonstrate why raptor rehabilitation needs time, specialist care and the opportunity for each bird to show us what it can do.

A female Roadside Hawk had been with us for two years, and we had begun to think she might spend the rest of her life in captivity. In the end, we decided to give her a chance. We were not certain she wouldn't manage in the wild, and we felt it was time to find out and give her a chance to prove us wrong. Seeing her return to freedom, and hearing that she is surviving and flourishing, is a wonderful reminder that sometimes we have to take a chance on a bird when the alternative is a lifetime in captivity

We also released a Black-and-white Owl who had lost an eye. This presents serious challenges for a bird that depends on precise vision to hunt, navigate and survive. Thankfully, owls compensate remarkably well, using their exceptional hearing to support their vision. Even so, he needed almost a year to adjust, and we had to assess whether he could manage independently. In the end, he demonstrated that he could and was given the chance to return to the wild.

A Grey Hawk had suffered a serious shoulder injury after being struck by a vehicle, and the initial prognosis was poor. At first, it seemed unlikely that he would ever recover sufficiently for release. After a period of restricted cage rest, we gradually introduced flight conditioning and increasingly challenging opportunities to rebuild his strength and mobility. After a considerable rehab period, he started flying, and not just managing, but hunting and flying beautifully. He was eventually released close to where he had been found, a wonderful outcome for a bird whose future had once looked so uncertain.

These releases show what patient, specialist rehabilitation can achieve. A serious injury does not always mean a bird can never return to the wild, but finding out takes time, space and careful assessment.

Not every bird will make it home. Some have injuries or limitations that prevent a safe release, and these birds deserve a life of dignity, safety and appropriate care.

That is why we are working to develop better facilities at the Raptor Sanctuary at Belize Bird Rescue, including a larger enclosure for birds that cannot be released, with the space to move, exercise and express their natural behaviours.

Our fundraising goal for the Raptor Sanctuary is US$22,500, and we still have a long way to go. Thankfully, all the raptors currently in our care have been able to return to the wild, so we haven't yet needed the additional permanent sanctuary space. We haven't pushed the campaign as hard as we might have, but we know that need can arise at any time.

We are holding almost US$1,000 in donations specifically towards building that larger enclosure for long-term or permanent care. Every contribution brings us closer to creating a safe, enriching space for the birds who may need us in the future.

We will get there! Thank you to everyone who has already donated and believes in this project. Your support is helping us prepare for the birds whose futures are still uncertain.

Sometimes the greatest achievement is giving a bird the opportunity to show us what it can do. And when returning to the wild isn't possible, we want to be ready to offer the next best thing.

With our sincere gratitude,

Nikki and all at Belize Bird Rescue

Grey Hawk juvenile makes a remarkable recovery

Black-and-white owls gets a second chance

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Jul 3, 2026
A Second Chance Takes Time

By Nikki Buxton | Director

Common Black Hawk

Time: The Most Valuable Tool in Raptor Rehabilitation

Although construction of the Raptor Sanctuary expansion has not yet begun, the need for it continues to grow. During this reporting period we admitted 26 raptors - 8 hawks and 18 owls, and we celebrated the successful release of 14 birds back to the wild, including 6 Barn Owls, 6 Pygmy Owls, a Common Black Hawk, and a Grey Hawk.

Eight raptors remain in rehabilitation, each following a different path to recovery. Among them are four young Mottled Owls, two of which arrived as tiny nestlings and are still developing the strength and hunting skills they need before they can be released. We are also caring for a Black-and-white Owl that is adapting remarkably well after losing an eye, a Barn Owl recovering from an old wing fracture while waiting for new flight feathers to regrow, a Grey Hawk with a shoulder injury that may heal with time, and an imprinted Roadside Hawk which lacks the natural behaviours needed to survive in the wild. Rehabilitation for these birds cannot be rushed - sometimes the greatest gift we can give an injured raptor is simply time.

These birds remind us why this project remains so important. Belize Bird Rescue already has a large flight enclosure and four dedicated rehabilitation barns for birds of prey, but the demand for long-term rehabilitation continues to grow. The Raptor Sanctuary project will expand these facilities, allowing us to care for more raptors requiring extended rehabilitation while ensuring every bird has the space and time it needs to recover.

Our commitment to seeing rehabilitation through to its conclusion means we regularly accept transfers of complex raptor cases from other wildlife rehabilitation centres that are unable to provide the prolonged care these birds require. By expanding our existing facilities, we will be able to help even more injured owls and hawks take the long road back to the wild.

Thank you for continuing to support this vision. Every donation helps us provide expert care for the raptors in our care today while bringing us closer to expanding the facilities needed to give many more birds of prey a second chance at freedom.

With our warmest regards and gratitude,

Nikki and all at Belize Bird Rescue

Barn Owl Nestlings

Grey Hawk Before Release

Mottled Owl Nestlings

Black & White Owl with Missing Eye

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl

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Mar 6, 2026
Why the Raptor Sanctuary Matters

By Nikki Buxton | Director

Black & White Owl

Progress toward The Raptor Sanctuary (TRS) continues, and thanks to early supporters we are already one tenth of the way toward funding our first enclosure. Our first goal is to build a dedicated sanctuary habitat for non-releasable birds of prey – a project estimated at $10,000 USD.

This enclosure will allow us to provide long-term care for raptors who cannot return to the wild but still deserve space, safety, and a high quality of life.

A recent arrival shows exactly why this project is so important. Our newest patient is a Black-and-white Owl that was admitted with head trauma and a wing fracture. After weeks of care and rehabilitation, his wing has healed well and he is now flying strongly again – a wonderful recovery.

Unfortunately, the impact left him without his left eye.

Vision is extremely important for birds of prey, but raptors also have remarkable hearing and spatial awareness. Owls in particular rely heavily on sound, allowing them to locate prey and navigate their surroundings even in darkness. With time, some birds are able to compensate surprisingly well for the loss of vision in one eye.

For this owl, the next stage of rehabilitation will focus on giving him time to adjust and observing how well he can navigate, perch, and orient himself using the vision he still has along with his hearing.

This kind of long evaluation period is exactly why the Raptor Sanctuary is needed.

If he proves able to adapt fully, he may still be released. But if he cannot safely return to the wild, a purpose-built sanctuary enclosure would allow him to live safely while still flying, perching, and expressing natural behaviors.

He is not the only bird who benefits.

Our Roadside Hawk, already living permanently in sanctuary care, is another reminder that some raptors simply cannot return to the wild. A dedicated sanctuary environment would greatly improve the long-term welfare of birds like her.

Our goal for 2026 is to construct the first Raptor Sanctuary enclosure, estimated to cost $10,000 USD. Thanks to early supporters, we are already one tenth of the way toward that goal.

Every step forward brings us closer to creating a safe and enriching space for raptors who cannot return to the wild but still deserve the opportunity to live full lives.

Thank you for helping us move closer to making the Raptor Sanctuary a reality.