Mission

Blackland Prairie Raptor Center is dedicated to environmental preservation through public education and the conservation of birds of prey and wildlife in their natural habitat.

Named after the tallgrass prairie that once covered more than 23,500 square miles of Texas from the Red River to San Antonio, Blackland Prairie Raptor Center is a rehabilitation and conservation education organization, specializing in fostering better public understanding of the relationship between birds of prey and healthy ecosystems.

BPRC is state and federally licensed:
Texas Parks and Wildlife permit #: REH-0715-124
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit #: MB138982

History

In August 2004, Blackland Prairie Raptor Center was incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization with a small but determined group of individuals and a common goal – to create a place where the people of North Texas could learn, experience and appreciate birds of prey and understand their importance in the environment.

Our founders began by building appropriate caging for 8 non-releasable raptors and the use of an existing shed on a Board members property approximately 70 miles northeast of Dallas. We offered educational presentations to schools, festivals, camps and environmental groups as well as anyone else interested in learning about raptors, reaching more than 5,000 people in the first year.

2007 – BPRC signed a lease with the US Army Corps of Engineers to use Brockdale Park on Lavon Lake to build our future campus. The vision was to build a facility for our education raptors and a clinic for raptor rehabilitation.
2009 – education mews are built to house 14 avian ambassadors.
2012 & 2013 – BPRC receives a donation of two mobile homes that are converted into an office building and rehabilitation clinic. We finally have indoor plumbing and hot water!
2013 – more than 30,000 people experienced our birds of prey throughout North Texas.
2014 – BPRC volunteers build two sets of flight cages, one for medium-size species and one for Cooper’s hawks and Mississippi Kites.
2015 – August 5th: BPRC accepts its first rehabilitation patient, a Cooper’s Hawk. That year we received 89 patients.
2016 – BPRC receives a total of 400 patients including a Crested Caracara and 2 Long-eared owls. A small bird complex is built for Screech Owls and Kestrels with 8 small cages and 4 flight cages which helps with the 400+ small owls and falcons we receive.
2017 – BPRC witnessed amazing growth, receiving 764 patients from as far away as Houston and Oklahoma. BPRC receives a Snowy Owl which is rehabilitated and flown to Minnesota for release and Harvey the Hurricane Hawk that had flown into a taxi cab and wouldn’t leave before Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston area.
2017 – BPRC receives its 1,000 patient since beginning rehabilitation, a Barn Owl.
2018 – BPRC constructs an 8,000 square foot flight complex for large raptors and eagles completing the rehabilitation cages necessary to receive up to 1,000 patients per year.
2021 – BPRC introduced its first rehabilitation internship. This program is still running and allows college level adults to venture into a career in wildlife rehabilitation. Running for 12 weeks at a time during the spring, summer, and fall, BPRC’s rehabilitation internship has introduced many into the animal field, helping make a difference to wildlife throughout the United States.
2021 – In June, BPRC purchases a blood chemistry machine. This investment will be pivotal in improving the abilities of the rehabilitation team in better understanding incoming patients. This medical equipment will help our team better understand organ function in patients, allowing for more effective treatment plans and a faster recovery rate for raptors in need. Having this machine eliminates the need to send bloodwork to a diagnostic lab, and will give results quickly.
2021 – Owl-o-Ween: After a difficult few years of navigating life through a pandemic, BPRC hosts its first Owl-o-Ween. This family friendly event provided a safe space for kids in the community to once again trick-or-treat.
2022 – BPRC reached its highest number of rehabilitation patients. Providing care for 806 patients is a remarkable feat, requiring teamwork from all departments and the surrounding community. BPRC truly helped raptors in need, more in 2022 than ever before! This number has allowed BPRC to understand the vital role it plays in the community and helped community members understand the need BPRC has for support to continue truly making a difference in wildlife success in an ever developing state.
2022 – Introduction of BPRC’s first staff veterinarian.
2023 – November 7th: Bald eagle release on NBC 5 – After 6 months in rehab, this juvenile bald eagle, once deemed a failure to thrive, has learned how to fly, vocalize, and find food. NBC 5 captured the release of this patient, who will no doubt life a long and healthy life at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.
2023 – Annual Review: Please click here to see our annual review for 2023