The British Bird of Prey Centre
The British Bird of Prey Centre
The British Bird of Prey Centre
5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The British Bird of Prey Centre houses 20 native & migrant British species that you can visit in their houses. We offer 2 flying displays daily at 11.30am & 1.30pm (each with different birds). You can also take part in private and group Flying Experiences available daily. Our aim is conservation through education & public engagement.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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- Natalie SNorth Wales, United Kingdom3 contributions10 out of 10First time visiting and did not disappoint. Staff are extremely friendly and are very welcoming regarding their birds. The display was educational and amazing to watch. Faculties were to an excellent standard. Big enclosures which were kept immaculate. Will not be our last visit! Highly recommend and the Christmas experience was fantastic! Booking yearly. Thank you so much for a fantastic day!Visited December 2022Travelled with familyWritten 18 December 2022
- Stacey76262Cardiff, United Kingdom5 contributionsBrilliant Birds of Prey ExperienceBrilliant opportunity to get close to amazing Birds of Prey. Highly recommend the experience educated and sparked enthusiasm to find out more about the fantastic birds. Simon & Emma’s enthusiasm was inspiring and made the experience truly magical. ⭐️🦉🦅⭐️Visited December 2022Travelled with familyWritten 2 January 2023
- Alexandra Davies4 contributionsA must have childhood memory!We took our son for a private experience for his 5th birthday. We live local to the Gardens and visit regularly. We have always been really impressed with the centre as the staff are always helpful, passionate and patient with children. It’s clear the birds are well cared for and enjoy their shows and private experiences. Getting this close to such beautiful creatures and teaching our son to love and respect nature is a memory that all children should have! You will not be disappointed!Visited January 2023Travelled with familyWritten 22 January 2023
- Stephanie O10 contributionsExcellent experienceWow! We visited for my sons 6th birthday on Wednesday 4th January who is obsessed with Birds of Prey and it was his best birthday yet. The birds and their cages are immaculate and extremely well looked after. I dont know where to start with the staff who are amazing! So friendly and made my son feel amazing on that day. We stayed and watched the 2 flying shows one outdoors, which it started to rain extremely heavy and we got taken inside to wait and then back out so greatful for that otherwise we would of been soaked through, they even gave umbrella's and bags to put over the outside seats. They just went out of their way to ensure everyone was dry warm and comfortable. The 2nd show was indoor with the owls it was just amazing to feel the breeze from their wings across your head/face. The most amazing part of the day was the group experience flying a Black Kite where we were fortunate enough for my son to be the only one. Greatful for a January birthday! he had the most amazing time and gained a lot of knowledge. Can't wait to come back.Visited January 2023Travelled with familyWritten 28 January 2023
- Jessica R1 contributionEagle experienceI bought my husband the eagle experience for his 30th birthday! We loved every second of the wonderful intimate experience with the raptors. The morning from start to finish was wonderful. My husband got to privately fly 3 birds of prey and got to learn so much about the birds! The centre has such a nice atmosphere and the Avery was perfect. The staff were sooo nice and helpful!! Thank you so much for a memory we will cherish for a life time.Visited January 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 29 January 2023
- Alex W9 contributionsOwl flying encounterWe had SUCH an amazing time with Alex at the British bird of prey centre. We met and flew 3 different owls (in the drifting snow) and watched the owl flying show with 3 other species of owls. All the staff were so friendly and knowledgeable and the birds were really well looked after. Clearly a project of passion and well worth a visit if you are in the area. For just £60pp we spent the whole day in the botanical gardens exploring the incredible glass houses, had a delicious lunch and then spent all afternoon with just us, Alex and the birds. It was really great value and we would DEFINITELY do it again. Thankyou to all the team who made out visit so special, we will recommend you to all our friendsVisited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 14 March 2023
- Ellie W4 contributionsI love birdsHad a great time at the birds of prey centre, really enjoyed the talk and £10 each was amazing for the bird flying experience. Alex was great and answered all of our questions! Spending time with the grey owl and the black kite was fantastic!Visited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 March 2023
- Johanna D4 contributionsBendigedigThe woodland walk experience was just magical. We wandered down into the gardens each of us having several turns of holding Boomerang, the kestrel. The guide was super knowledgeable and answered all our questions with enthusiasm. It was wonderful seeing the kestrel hovering several times and swooping around us to land on any one of our ready arms. We then took an Indian owl out called Ozzy. What a glorious sight flying around the trees landing near to unsuspecting bystanders. It was lovely to see our experience being enjoyed by passers by as well. It was worth every penny and can't wait to try some other experiences. Diolch yn fawr James and the team. We are a very happy family 😄Visited March 2023Travelled with familyWritten 25 March 2023
- Nick H2 contributionsAmazing expirence!Well worth a visit to this bird of prey centre, there are lots of birds of prey on display in their aviaries and the shows are great with lots of information and the birds fly really close to you! If you like photography it's a great chance to get some fantastic stationary and in flight pictures. If you want and extra special experience I highly recommend the experiences they offer, well worth the extra money as you get to get up close to the birds. All the staff are very friendly, very knowledgeable and happy to answer questions. A must see place if you like birds of prey.Visited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 27 March 2023
- Steve H36 contributionsWife said touching. I say amazeballsWhat an enjoyable time spent here. Had a wonderfull talk with different owls from small to large strutting their stuff. Then across to a field where we got to experiance a Red Kite flying eating from our hands. Of course with gloves on. The staff were fantastic and their love for our winged friends was clearly on show. The chap who did the owl talk was very clued up in his field and it was very entertaining. The flying experiance was simply sublime. We put a glove on and the keeper placed some small pieces of food between our thumbs and finger. The bird swooped down landed on the gloved hand and ate. This was done several times. Amazing experiance. Thank you to all of youVisited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 29 March 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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5.0
577 reviews
Excellent
558
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13
Average
3
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Terrible
2
Sarah Gascoigne
Abergavenny, UK3 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
We booked the private half day flying experience as Xmas presents to each other. The whole afternoon exceeded our expectations & was unlike any other bird of prey experience we had been to. After watching the main display of birds which in itself was both informative & entertaining, we then got to meet and fly four very different birds under the expert care & guidance of Alex. Alex was a wonderful host, happy to answer all our questions and ensured we got the most out of our afternoon. Each bird was a pleasure and a privilege to watch in such close proximity and to hold. Each bird had their own personality and are clearly very happy and very well looked after. The afternoon ended with a very good cup of tea and the sad realisation that we had to leave at some point!
Written 6 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JeanneDon
Auckland Central, New Zealand2 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
The owl experience - flying three different owls - was awesome. The kids (both aged 9) loved it. Chloe, the falconer was very knowledgeable. It was amazing to see the owls, Alan, Ossie and Rusty, up close. They were beautiful and it was fascinating to watch them perch, fly, and eat. We also spent some time watching and learning about the other birds of prey at the centre. Highly recommended.
Written 2 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John G
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
We had a wonderful time during the Eagle Experience which was a gift for my 60th birthday. Alex, Emma, Poppy, and the rest of the team were perfect hosts and they did everything they could to make our visit worthwhile. We had a very memorable day.
Written 13 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jessica E
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
Had a fantastic time celebrating my dad’s 50th birthday at the Bird of Prey Experience at the Botanical Gardens! The birds were absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for Celyn for an unforgettable experience!
Written 9 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne
4 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Just had an amazing morning at the British Birds of Prey Centre. The Eagle Experience was brilliant and gave us the opportunity of seeing these magnificent birds up close. My husband had the experience as a Christmas present and I was an observer. The falconer, Alex, was great - really knowledgeable and funny with lots of stories and information about the birds. He was able to handle a golden Eagle, white tailed Eagle and also take an eagle owl for a walk in the woods.
After a cuppa we stayed on to watch the scheduled show, again presented by Alex with help from 2 other members of staff. Thoroughly enjoyed watching this too as it featured on owl, a buzzard and another white tailed Eagle.
A great day!
After a cuppa we stayed on to watch the scheduled show, again presented by Alex with help from 2 other members of staff. Thoroughly enjoyed watching this too as it featured on owl, a buzzard and another white tailed Eagle.
A great day!
Written 6 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kev M
5 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
My missus bought me a 1-2-1 flying experience day for my 50th and it was one of the best days out and experiences ever. I've always been interested in birds of prey since childhood and this makes a perfect day out for anyone who loves these animals.
The falconer Simon was brilliant, very knowledgible about the birds and also a really pleasent guy to spend a day walking round the grounds flying birds with. He had a really nice balance of making sure the birds welfare was taken care of while ensuring we had a great experience.
We took out 4 birds, 2 owls a Honey Buzzard and my personal favourite and Kestrel (Boomerang and ironically he didn't come back) (he did return later).
Seeing these birds up close was awesome, especially the owl flying the woodland floor to my arm.
I also got to hold a Golden Eagle up close, which is equally scary and amazing.
I could not recomend this place more, it was an experience I'll never forget.
The falconer Simon was brilliant, very knowledgible about the birds and also a really pleasent guy to spend a day walking round the grounds flying birds with. He had a really nice balance of making sure the birds welfare was taken care of while ensuring we had a great experience.
We took out 4 birds, 2 owls a Honey Buzzard and my personal favourite and Kestrel (Boomerang and ironically he didn't come back) (he did return later).
Seeing these birds up close was awesome, especially the owl flying the woodland floor to my arm.
I also got to hold a Golden Eagle up close, which is equally scary and amazing.
I could not recomend this place more, it was an experience I'll never forget.
Written 3 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kass D
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
I bought my husband a half day flying experience back in March for his birthday. The first date we had booked the weather was horrific and we were asked if we lived locally and if it would be ok with us they could reschedule and hope for better weather. Obviously if you’re visiting from afar this won’t be an option for you and they will go ahead with flying the birds with you, but pack waterproofs and sturdy footwear just incase and you’ll still have an amazing time. The birds need some flying time every day so they’ll be out in all but the very very worst weather.
As we’re only 20 minutes away we happily rescheduled, unfortunately for us our second attempt was an equal wash out with the horrific weather and storms we’ve had in summer 2023 and we rescheduled to fit in with our work schedules again. Today the weather was blustery and showery, but not the storm force torrential rain on the days we’d previously booked. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. We dodged the showers, were warned that certain birds didn’t like the blustery winds ahead of the storm that is due to hit here tonight. But what an amazing afternoon. James our guide for the afternoon was so chatty and knowledgeable and passionate about the birds.
My husband had the time of his life and his previously slightly bird phobic wife would love to repeat the experience as a proper pair and potentially try and hold one of the birds next time too.
Thank you Alex, James and the rest of the team for a fabulous day. And thank you for allowing us to reschedule the first two attempts. Weather today wasn’t perfect, but was still a perfect day!
As we’re only 20 minutes away we happily rescheduled, unfortunately for us our second attempt was an equal wash out with the horrific weather and storms we’ve had in summer 2023 and we rescheduled to fit in with our work schedules again. Today the weather was blustery and showery, but not the storm force torrential rain on the days we’d previously booked. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. We dodged the showers, were warned that certain birds didn’t like the blustery winds ahead of the storm that is due to hit here tonight. But what an amazing afternoon. James our guide for the afternoon was so chatty and knowledgeable and passionate about the birds.
My husband had the time of his life and his previously slightly bird phobic wife would love to repeat the experience as a proper pair and potentially try and hold one of the birds next time too.
Thank you Alex, James and the rest of the team for a fabulous day. And thank you for allowing us to reschedule the first two attempts. Weather today wasn’t perfect, but was still a perfect day!
Written 1 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike A
mashwort9 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
My son (11) and I really enjoyed our visit. Whilst the aviary is pretty small, the show was fantastic and the additional experience with the black kite was great value and really made the trip. Staff were very helpful and friendly. We’ll definitely be back.
Written 31 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jphyde
Pembroke, UK1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Family
This was my second time visiting the British Bird of Prey Centre for a flying experience. The first time was for smaller birds of prey up to and including a red kite and I enjoyed this so much I was bought a voucher for the eagle flying experience.
On the day I flew Midas - the Golden Eagle, took an European Eagle Owl for a walk/fly through the National Botanical Gardens for Wales and then finally flew Aquarius - the very impressive Atlantic Sea Eagle.
Being so close to these magnificent creatures was amazing - something I will cherish for a very long time. The experience wasn’t rushed in any way and was expertly guided by Alex and Celyn.
I would highly recommend any of the flying experiences and a visit to the centre to anyone who admires these amazing birds - you won’t regret it!
On the day I flew Midas - the Golden Eagle, took an European Eagle Owl for a walk/fly through the National Botanical Gardens for Wales and then finally flew Aquarius - the very impressive Atlantic Sea Eagle.
Being so close to these magnificent creatures was amazing - something I will cherish for a very long time. The experience wasn’t rushed in any way and was expertly guided by Alex and Celyn.
I would highly recommend any of the flying experiences and a visit to the centre to anyone who admires these amazing birds - you won’t regret it!
Written 30 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Al
Hampshire, UK22 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
I booked the Eagle Experience and can honestly say, it was truly an amazing day!
The centre is lovely. The birds all looked beautiful and the staff were really happy and helpful.
I loved seeing a Goshawk in a display for my first time, very special toe as the last birds I saw with my Mum before she passed away.
The Eagle Experience was something else though, I've been on quite a few different experience days but this was the most awesome, it can't get better than being up close and personal with an Eagle Owl, Golden Eagle and White Tailed Sea Eagle. Fascinating being to interact with these huge birds and being able to trust them because of how they've been raised so well there.
I'd go back and do it all again in a heartbeat!
If you've never held a bird of prey, give it a go, there are lots of smaller ones too!
Well done to all the staff and volunteers, you're doing an amazing job.
PS Thank you for photos and videos!
The centre is lovely. The birds all looked beautiful and the staff were really happy and helpful.
I loved seeing a Goshawk in a display for my first time, very special toe as the last birds I saw with my Mum before she passed away.
The Eagle Experience was something else though, I've been on quite a few different experience days but this was the most awesome, it can't get better than being up close and personal with an Eagle Owl, Golden Eagle and White Tailed Sea Eagle. Fascinating being to interact with these huge birds and being able to trust them because of how they've been raised so well there.
I'd go back and do it all again in a heartbeat!
If you've never held a bird of prey, give it a go, there are lots of smaller ones too!
Well done to all the staff and volunteers, you're doing an amazing job.
PS Thank you for photos and videos!
Written 27 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachael H
1 contribution
Hi, Do you need to book in advance for the Birds of prey centre? we have got tickets online and hope to visit at the beginning of September but do we need to book a slot in advance?
nellyandjohnny
London, UK17 contributions
Hi there, you have to book for the 1-1 flying experience but I got the impression you can turn up for the public flying displays. I would message them on Facebook ...I did that and they are really helpful
SiewBee2015
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia16 contributions
How much is the entrance ticket?
Emma H
Carmarthen, UK24 contributions
Adults £13.95
Children £8.50
These prices include entrance into The National Botanic Garden of Wales and are valid for 7 days
Would like to volunteer at N B Garden
Emma H
Carmarthen, UK24 contributions
Hi Brian, please come in and see us or email and tell us a little more about yourself and when you are available to help! Thanks Emma
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Claim your listingTHE BRITISH BIRD OF PREY CENTRE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about The British Bird of Prey Centre
- The British Bird of Prey Centre is open:
- Sun - Sat 10:00 - 17:00
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- (1.43 mi) Llwyn Helyg Country House
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- (1.34 mi) The Butchers Arms
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- (6.69 mi) Tea Traders