Avian Conservation Center
Avian Conservation Center is a 35-year-old South Carolina nonprofit operating the only permanent avian medical and oiled-bird treatment facility on the Eastern seaboard, serving injured raptors, students, and Charleston-area visitors through wildlife rehabilitation, conservation education, and fee-based programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersCharleston, South Carolina, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Avian Conservation Center does
Avian Conservation Center (operating as the Center for Birds of Prey) is a 501-style nonprofit founded in 1991 and headquartered on a campus in Awendaw, South Carolina, approximately 16 miles north of downtown Charleston. The organization operates three integrated service lines: the Avian Medical Clinic, which admits 800–1,000 injured birds of prey and shorebirds annually (20,000+ cumulative cases over 35 years) and operates 365 days a year; the Center for Birds of Prey, which houses nearly 50 species of raptors sourced globally and offers on-site tours, flight demonstrations, and educational programs Thursday through Saturday; and the SC Oiled Bird Treatment Facility, completed in October 2007 with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and SC Department of Natural Resources funding, and designated in the USCG Area Contingency Plan as the official repository for oiled or contaminated birds in South Carolina.
The Center monetizes through a diversified revenue stack: per-visitor admission and tour fees, premium special events (Photography Days at $100/photographer, Owls by Moonlight at $125/person, instructor-led photography courses at $200–$350), recurring annual memberships, charitable donations via PayPal, a Shopify-based gift shop featuring partnered artist Christina Hewson's wildlife prints, corporate sponsorships, and occasional raffles. Ticketing is handled through FareHarbor.
The Center's customer base segments into three primary groups: visitors and wildlife enthusiasts (Charleston-area tourism), K-12 and college students (science and natural history education), and government/agency partners (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, SC DNR, USCG) for medical and oil-spill response services. Go-to-market is hybrid, combining on-site destination experiences with grassroots digital outreach (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, email newsletter) and TripAdvisor-driven inbound travel traffic. The Center is staffed by approximately 15 employees.
Avian Conservation Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Avian Conservation Center
- Legal name
- Avian Conservation Center
- Website
- https://thecenterforbirdsofprey.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Avian Conservation Center is a 35-year-old South Carolina nonprofit operating the only permanent avian medical and oiled-bird treatment facility on the Eastern seaboard, serving injured raptors, students, and Charleston-area visitors through wildlife rehabilitation, conservation education, and fee-based programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Avian Conservation Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Veterinary Services (54194), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Poultry & Avian Veterinary Services (AFAEANAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Bird Grooming & Boarding (Avian) (HSANAKAB)
Keywords
Where Avian Conservation Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charleston, South Carolina
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Avian Conservation Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Visitor Admissions and Tours: Revenue generated from ticket sales for tours, flight demonstrations, and campus visits. Programs offered Thursday through Saturday with educational flight demonstrations in outdoor amphitheater.
- Special Events: Revenue from paid photography events, instructor-led courses, and special programs like Owls by Moonlight. Photography days priced at $100 (photographers) and $25 (observers). Instructor-led courses at $200 (half-day) and $350 (full-day).
- Donations: Direct charitable contributions through PayPal and website donation mechanisms. Primary funding source for operational support.
- Annual Memberships: Recurring membership program providing ongoing support with associated benefits.
- Gift Shop Sales: On-campus gift shop offering merchandise, prints from partnered artists like Christina Hewson, with proceeds supporting the center's mission.
- Sponsorships: Corporate and individual sponsorship opportunities for supporters.
- Raffles and Special Offerings: Occasional raffles and promotional items (e.g., Nashville VIP Music Experience raffle) to generate additional revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time | Photography Days - Photographers |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Photography Days - Observers |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Instructor-led Photography Course - Half Day |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Instructor-led Photography Course - Full Day |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Owls by Moonlight Event |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Avian Conservation Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Avian Conservation Center provides medical care and rehabilitation for injured birds of prey and shorebirds through its Avian Medical Clinic (admitting 800-1000 patients annually and operating 365 days a year), runs the SC Oiled Birds Treatment Facility (designated in the USCG Area Contingency Plan as the official repository for oiled birds in South Carolina), and delivers on-site educational programming, guided tours, and flight demonstrations at its Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw, SC, housing nearly 50 raptor species.
Product overview
The Avian Conservation Center is a conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected services centered on avian rescue, rehabilitation, and education. The core offerings include the Avian Medical Clinic (providing medical care for 800-1000 injured birds annually), the SC Oiled Birds Treatment Facility (emergency response for contaminated birds), and the Center for Birds of Prey (visitor education with flight demonstrations and guided tours). Supporting these core services are visitor experiences including educational programs, photography events, and distance learning initiatives. The organization also maintains the Countess Alicia Paolozzi Owl Wood, a dedicated owl sanctuary, and operates citizen science programs such as the Swallow-tailed Kite sighting reporting system. A gift shop rounds out the visitor services. The portfolio functions as a unified conservation effort where medical services support rehabilitation, educational programs raise awareness, and visitor experiences generate operational funding.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Avian Medical Clinic Provides medical care and rehabilitation for injured birds of prey and shorebirds, operating 365 days a year with 800-1000 patient admissions annually, accepting patients via a volunteer transport network throughout South Carolina.
- SC Oiled Birds Treatment Facility Designated official repository for oiled or contaminated birds in South Carolina under the USCG Area Contingency Plan, providing emergency response readiness for contaminant spill response along the South Carolina coast.
- Center for Birds of Prey Primary operating division offering educational programs, flight demonstrations, and guided tours showcasing nearly 50 species of eagles, falcons, hawks, owls, kites, and vultures from around the world.
- Tours and Flight Demonstrations Guided walking tours and flight demonstrations featuring hawks, falcons, owls, eagles, kites, and vultures performing natural flying and hunting techniques, available Thursday through Saturday on the Awendaw campus.
- Educational Programs Science and natural history based educational programs for students, professional organizations, corporate groups, and families, available on-campus or off-site.
- Photography Programs Birds of Prey Photography Days allowing photographers to capture nearly 15 species in static and free flight, plus instructor-led photography courses with Chris Smith of Chris & Cami Photography.
- Owls by Moonlight Nighttime program at Countess Paolozzi Owl Wood focusing entirely on owls during their most active crepuscular hours, priced at $125 per person.
- Distance Learning Remote educational programs for groups to experience the Center's content without visiting in person.
- Private Group Programs Customized educational programs for private groups including students, professional organizations, corporate groups, and families.
- Swallow-tailed Kite Sighting Reporting Citizen science initiative allowing the public to report Swallow-tailed Kite sightings to help determine distribution and monitor population trends.
- Gift Shop On-campus and online gift shop offering prints by wildlife artist Christina Hewson and other merchandise, with proceeds supporting the center's mission.
Quantifiable outcome
- 35 years of operational excellence with 20,000+ medical cases treated
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Avian Conservation Center
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Avian Conservation Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Avian Conservation Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Christina Hewson (Lust for Wildlife)minorWildlife portraiture artist Christina Hewson specializes in Chinese watercolor (Modern Gongbi style). Her artwork featuring birds is sold in the center's gift shop, with a portion of every purchase donated to the Avian Conservation Center. Plans include a future 'Birds of Prey' merchandise line.
- South Carolina Department of Natural ResourcescoreCo-funding partner for the SC Oiled Bird Treatment Facility construction. The facility is designated in the USCG Area Contingency Plan as the official repository for oiled or contaminated birds in South Carolina.
- U.S. Coast Guard (Area Contingency Plan)coreThe Avian Conservation Center is designated in the USCG Area Contingency Plan as the official repository for oiled birds in South Carolina, maintaining situational readiness for contaminant spill response.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Avian Conservation Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Carolina Raptor Center: Non-profit raptor rehabilitation, education, and flight demonstration center in Huntersville, NC operating a similar model combining medical care for injured birds of prey with on-site visitor experiences and education.
- Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research: Avian rehabilitation and research organization in Newark, DE providing medical care for injured wild birds and serving as a regional oily-bird response facility, directly comparable to the Center's medical clinic and oil-response mission.
- Lindsay Wildlife Experience: California-based wildlife hospital and education center providing medical care for injured native wildlife alongside public exhibits and educational programs, comparable in combining clinical wildlife work with visitor experiences.
- International Bird Rescue: Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization specializing in oiled bird response, paralleling the SC Oiled Bird Treatment Facility's role under the USCG Area Contingency Plan.
- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Long-standing raptor conservation and education organization in Kempton, PA combining raptor research, visitor programming, and educational experiences with a multi-decade operating history similar to the Avian Conservation Center.
- Raptor Trust: New Jersey-based non-profit dedicated to raptor rehabilitation, education, and on-site visitor programming with a model closely aligned to the Avian Conservation Center's combination of medical care and public engagement.
- The Peregrine Fund (World Center for Birds of Prey): Global raptor conservation organization operating the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, ID with raptor husbandry, captive breeding, education, and visitor experiences comparable to the Avian Conservation Center.
Broad incumbents
- National Audubon Society: Large, established national bird conservation organization with a much broader geographic and programmatic footprint than the Avian Conservation Center, providing partnership and donor overlap potential.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Avian Conservation Center social profiles
Digital presenceAvian Conservation Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Avian Conservation Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Avian Conservation Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Avian Conservation Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Avian Conservation Center
What does Avian Conservation Center do?
The Avian Conservation Center provides medical care and rehabilitation for injured birds of prey and shorebirds through its Avian Medical Clinic (admitting 800-1000 patients annually and operating 365 days a year), runs the SC Oiled Birds Treatment Facility (designated in the USCG Area Contingency Plan as the official repository for oiled birds in South Carolina), and delivers on-site educational programming, guided tours, and flight demonstrations at its Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw, SC, housing nearly 50 raptor species.
Is Avian Conservation Center a public or private company?
Avian Conservation Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Avian Conservation Center founded?
Avian Conservation Center was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Avian Conservation Center based?
Avian Conservation Center is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, United States, in the North America region.
How does Avian Conservation Center make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Visitor Admissions and Tours are the primary driver. The others are special Events, donations, annual Memberships, gift Shop Sales, sponsorships and raffles and Special Offerings.
Who are Avian Conservation Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Carolina Raptor Center, Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Lindsay Wildlife Experience, International Bird Rescue, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Raptor Trust and The Peregrine Fund (World Center for Birds of Prey). National Audubon Society is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Avian Conservation Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Avian Conservation Center.
What industry is Avian Conservation Center in?
Avian Conservation Center's product category is Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEANAD, Poultry & Avian Veterinary Services, with a secondary code of HSANAKAB, Bird Grooming & Boarding (Avian). Its NAICS code is 54194.