Construction underway for Marine Science Center's raptor habitat for injured birds

Brenno Carillo, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·3 min read
Marine Science Center staff, volunteers and Volusia County officials during the center's groundbreaking ceremony for its Raptor Education and Conservation Exhibit, Monday, March 20, 2023.
Marine Science Center staff, volunteers and Volusia County officials during the center's groundbreaking ceremony for its Raptor Education and Conservation Exhibit, Monday, March 20, 2023.

Protect the environment and educate the community about how it can help: This is the mission the Marine Science Center hopes to continue with the upcoming Raptor Education and Conservation Exhibit.

Staff, volunteers and Volusia County officials gathered at the center Monday afternoon for a groundbreaking ceremony, marking the start of the project's construction.

The $330,000 exhibit, which will house injured birds that aren't suitable for release, “is funded by a $208,298 Volusia ECHO Grant, $150,000 in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act revenue loss provision, and $125,000 in community donations made through the Friends of the Marine Science Center,” according to the county.

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It is expected to be completed this fall.

But what will it feature and why is it important? Here's the latest information on the upcoming raptor exhibit at the Marine Science Center:

What will the exhibit look like?

The new building will be approximately 650 square feet in size and located adjacent to the elevated boardwalk and immediately west of the Marine Science Center’s main building.

Planned to go adjacent to the elevated boardwalk and immediately west of the Marine Science Center’s main building, the new bird exhibit will include a covered, pedestrian viewing area with features such as educational signage and interactive touch-screen information stations to enhance the visitor experience.
Planned to go adjacent to the elevated boardwalk and immediately west of the Marine Science Center’s main building, the new bird exhibit will include a covered, pedestrian viewing area with features such as educational signage and interactive touch-screen information stations to enhance the visitor experience.

It will include a covered pedestrian viewing area with features such as educational signage and interactive touch-screen information stations to enhance the visitor experience, according to Tracy Dawson, the center’s bird rehabilitation manager.

The building will feature bird enclosures on both sides.

A new 650-square-foot bird habitat exhibit is coming to the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet next year. The exhibit, which will be adjacent to the elevated boardwalk and immediately west of the Marine Science Center’s main building, will include a covered, pedestrian viewing area with features such as educational signage and interactive touch-screen information stations to enhance the visitor experience.

“The exhibit is going to house seven of our resident birds,” Dawson said, adding that the signage will educate visitors on the featured species and on building native plant habitats.

What kind of birds will be featured in the exhibit?

The center’s bird rehab facility has treated more than 19,000 birds since 2002.

Chad Macfie, director of the Marine Science Center, said the hospital sees an average 1,100 birds a year.

Bubba, a great-horned owl and one of the Marine Science Center's raptor ambassadors, Monday, March 20, 2023.
Bubba, a great-horned owl and one of the Marine Science Center's raptor ambassadors, Monday, March 20, 2023.

Among the species that are likely to be featured in the new exhibit are red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, Cooper’s hawks, great-horned owls and kestrels.

Why build a new raptor exhibit?

Birds brought to the center for rehabilitation often need to be transferred to another facility due to capacity, Dawson said.

“Right now, we only have four indoor exhibits, indoor enclosures for rehab space,” Dawson added. “Now we’ll more than double that. This is huge for us.”

Tracy Dawson, manager of the Marine Science Center's bird rehabilitation hospital, speaks during the center's Raptor Education and Conservation Exhibit groundbreaking ceremony, Monday, March 20, 2023.
Tracy Dawson, manager of the Marine Science Center's bird rehabilitation hospital, speaks during the center's Raptor Education and Conservation Exhibit groundbreaking ceremony, Monday, March 20, 2023.

With the new exhibit providing more space for the birds, the current exhibit area will be repurposed to expand the center’s space devoted to injured birds that are being treated and undergoing the rehabilitation and healing process while being prepared for release.

“It will offer them better spaces because they will be outdoors in the sunshine, in the rain – they will get used to outdoors before releasing them,” Dawson said.

Support from community, Friends of the Marine Science Center

Macfie thanked the center’s volunteers and community members whose donations made the new exhibit possible.

“The one thing I am most proud of, and it makes me the happiest is all the community supporters and the county of Volusia that helped support this project,” Macfie said, adding thanks to the Friends of the Marine Science Center – a local nonprofit that helps the center’s efforts – and to volunteers.

Shell Webster, the Marine Science Center's education programs manager, holds Bubba, a great-horned owl and one of the center's raptor ambassadors, Monday, March 20, 2023.
Shell Webster, the Marine Science Center's education programs manager, holds Bubba, a great-horned owl and one of the center's raptor ambassadors, Monday, March 20, 2023.

“It has been a long process getting to this moment,” said Arlene Deegan, president of the Friends of the Marine Science Center. “We have had unforeseen setbacks and delays, but we need to thank our staff for their perseverance, for their devotion, and for their belief in this project.

“I think we all agree that (the new exhibit) is a win-win situation for our volunteers, for our visitors, but most importantly for our feathered friends.”

The Marine Science Center is open to the public at 100 Lighthouse Drive, Ponce Inlet. Visitors may view the turtle hospital and explore a marine display area and gift shop from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. It is closed to the public on Mondays. For information, visit marinesciencecenter.com or call 386-304-5545.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: MSC in Ponce Inlet one step closer to opening injured bird habitat