UK Owl and Raptor Centre image

UK Owl and Raptor Centre

Zoo

👍👍 Booked a 1.2.1 owl experience, and a friend came to watch and take pictures It was a fantastic day. The owls were brilliant. The trainers were very knowledgeable, kind, answered any questions we had, and they previously really cared for birds and their well-being. All of the owls were well traine... People often mention experience, birds, owls, Liam, recommend, time, knowledgeable, fantastic, bird, great,


Address

UK Owl and Raptor Centre, Groombridge Hill, Groombridge TN3 9QG, United Kingdom

Website

www.owlandraptorcentre.co.uk

Contact

+44 1892 249061

Rating on Google Maps

5.00 (90 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Thursday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Friday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Saturday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Monday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Tuesday: 10 am to 4 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: experience (42) birds (31) owls (25) Liam (24) recommend (21) time (20) knowledgeable (13) fantastic (10) bird (9) great (9)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Kitty 1 year ago on Google
    Booked a 1.2.1 owl experience, and a friend came to watch and take pictures It was a fantastic day. The owls were brilliant. The trainers were very knowledgeable, kind, answered any questions we had, and they previously really cared for birds and their well-being. All of the owls were well trained and appeared happy. And they each had their own unique personalities. I would definitely recommend booking this experience.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chloe P. 8 months ago on Google • 15 reviews
    Absolutely fantastic morning meeting some beautiful birds. Liam was so knowledgeable, very welcoming and entertaining and the time just flew by! Would love to go again and meet more of the birds. Would highly recommend this experience, especially the upgrade to a private session. Wonderful.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Richard P. 2 months ago on Google • 6 reviews New
    We did the family owl experience and absolutely loved everything about it. Grace, the bird handler, was super friendly and knowledgeable and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting the owls and learning about them! 100% recommend this to anyone and everyone!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rebecca B. 2 years ago on Google
    Visited the Owl and Raptor Centre this Saturday for their Owl experience and had a fantastic time! Liam was extremely knowledgeable about each of the owls we met, and it was very clear how well he knows and cares for each individual bird. It was great having just two of us meeting the owls as we were able to spend loads of time with them and learn all about them! I would definitely recommend a visit and can’t wait to go back! Thanks again Liam!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Shane T. 6 months ago on Google • 44 reviews
    I was brought a bird of prey experience package from my wife as a birthday present and both of us had a fantastic time. I got to hold 3 species of birds of prey on a falconry glove and fire out of a catapult food for the last species of bird of prey. The owner was very friendly and informative and was passionate about his job which was very pleasing. My wife was a spectator but she was welcomed in the group and got close to the birds as well. I would totally recommend this to anyone you won't be disappointed.

  • 5/5 Andrew G. 11 months ago on Google
    One of the best experiences we have ever had. The handlers have good knowledge , happy to answer any questions. We were very excited to see these wonderful birds
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ruth R. 8 months ago on Google
    A great day out. Lots of information about the birds was shared and my Mother In Law enjoyed meeting Garry, Owlfie, Vespa and the Black Kites - Charlie, Delta, Foxtrot and Sierra. Really a great gift!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rebecca P. 5 months ago on Google • 15 reviews
    We did the owl experience in the morning and the bird of prey experience in the afternoon. We both thought the experiences were brilliant. Dan ran the owl session and Liam ran the bird of prey session, both were very friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the birds we were flying. There was only four of us in the group, so we had plenty of time and interaction with each bird. We flew seven birds in total - four owls and three birds of prey. The afternoon ended with catapulting food into the sky for black kites to catch.

  • 5/5 grant h. 4 months ago on Google • 11 reviews
    Great experience, lasted over 90 minutes and limited to two couples. The guide, Liam was very knowledgeable and clearly knows his birds.

  • 5/5 John R. 2 months ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    Had an incredible time with the owls, during an experience booked for 2. It was a pleasure to see how well kept the birds were and the incredible bond they have with their trainer. Special mention to Liam who led the session, he was extremely knowledgeable and personable, and his passion and care for the birds was obvious. Exceptional value for money, and we will certainly be returning to do the raptor experience as soon as we can!

  • 5/5 Fiona H. 1 year ago on Google
    We had an Owl and Raptor Experience for my mum's birthday present. It was a wonderful experience which we all enjoyed. Liam was very patient with us, answering all our questions and giving us ample time with the birds. I thoroughly recommend one!

  • 5/5 Philip T. 6 months ago on Google
    An absolutely fantastic experience. Starts as you drive into the grounds to the centre and pass amazing sights and a beautiful stately home in dire need of renovation. The owl experience is informative, fun, full of wonder, some unintended humour as one owl went on strike and unexpected highlights. In our case one of our party sat on a pile of rocks, and one owl decided to fly down and sit next to him. Looked like two friends having a relaxed chat ...and the owl kept going back for more. Birthday girl (10 years old) was consistently delighted as the owls flew to her arm, one even snuggling up to her chest for protection as a wild raptor appeared in the skies. This was my second visit in three months and it was still a novel experience. Do go. It's so, so worth the effort.

  • 5/5 Graham H. 6 months ago on Google
    We had a thoroughly enjoyable time at Groombridge with host Liam and various birds of prey. Liam was really friendly and obviously knew a lot about the birds which included a Buzzard, Harris' Hawk, Steppe Eagle and Black Kites. The experience was very hands on which was great. We'd highly recommend it.

  • 5/5 Sarah J. 6 months ago on Google
    My friends and I were totally blown away by how great this whole experience was. Dan was super knowledgeable, funny, friendly and really calm with what otherwise might have been quite scary birds! But as it happened, even the huge eagle we held was not intimidating in the end. They were all beautiful and mesmerising to see so close up. And it was lots of fun to catapult bits of food in the air and watch 5 kites catch and eat them on the wing! A really great day out, thoroughly recommend.

  • 5/5 Claire F. 7 months ago on Google
    Amazing experience. We booked the Owl Encounter as a birthday treat for a friend who loves owls. The handlers were incredibly knowledgeable and the birds were stunning. We all had a wonderful time and would 100% recommend to anyone. Thank you so much.

  • 5/5 Darren P. 8 months ago on Google
    This is our second visit to the centre and we had a fantastic time once again. The birds are simply amazing, in particular Vespa the step eagle was awe inspiring. The experience days are such good value and are highly recommend.

  • 5/5 Alice-May S. 10 months ago on Google
    I can't recommend this place enough! The guy's are amazing and can answer anything about their birds, very knowledgeable. Thank you for the most amazing owl and bird of prey experance.

  • 5/5 Steve O. 11 months ago on Google
    From the moment we arrived Dan, our host, made us feel very welcome. He talked us through the plan for our experience and we were treated to an amazing 90 minutes with 4 owls Dan's knowledge about the owls and there history was so interesting Well worth a visit!

  • 5/5 Mick P. 9 months ago on Google
    This experience was a birthday gift for my wife as it was something she had always wanted to do. The whole experience was so professional from start to finish. We were met at the gates by Liam and given a quick introduction on what was going to happen. First came the buzzard, then the beautiful harris hawk, then the naughty giant steppe eagle, who decided he'd join the railway union and go on strike! Finally five black kites all came out to fly at the same time. Liam was so knowledgeable and shared this with us, and made the whole thing fun. The whole experience was fantastic. It would have been a great display to watch but it was just the two of us getting hands on with these magnificent raptors. We even had an additional display by the wild buzzards, red kite and even a white stork. Recommended this experience to any animal lover and we look forward to returning to flying the owls in the future.

  • 5/5 Katy B. 1 year ago on Google
    Fantastic family owl experience for my son's birthday. Liam was really informative, enthusiastic and put the children at ease. The children knew exactly what was happening all the time and we did not feel rushed - perfect combination for our autistic youngsters. The owls were beautiful and clearly well cared for. My son even said he would like to do this again for his birthday next year...and as a job when he grows up! He was really inspired by the day. Absolutely recommend.

  • 5/5 Dal S. 1 year ago on Google
    Great morning here. Was off-season, so we only had the Owl experience. The grounds weren't open. But the experience was first class. Our handler, (Dan, I think) was very friendly and informative. Was happy to answer any questions, but to be honest, he told us so much about each Owl that there was little to ask. Highly recommend. My partner had an amazing time as well, as some of her reactions in the photos will show 😂

  • 5/5 Harriet S. 1 year ago on Google
    Four of us really enjoyed the owl experience yesterday with Dan. Met four owls of varying sizes, each with their own unique personality, and learnt a lot about owls in general! Dan is incredibly passionate about the birds. Would definitely recommend.

  • 5/5 Katelyn H. 1 year ago on Google
    Had an amazing time! I did the owl experience and we had Liam showing us the ropes. He was really engaging and knowledgable and answered any questions we had. It was a small group of us and it gave us so much time with the owls. Can’t recommend enough, I would go again! You could tell the owls are looked after and loved which was really nice to see. Thank again!!

  • 5/5 Alison W. 1 year ago on Google
    We are a group of five adults. We had fantastic afternoon at the Bird of Prey Experience . Dan was professional and very friendly. He looked after us brilliantly introducing us to the beautiful birds, sharing his expertise and sense of humour. It was a so great to have the birds sitting on our gloves and flying happily in their environment. I would thoroughly recommend this activity and company to anyone.

  • 5/5 Ian I. 1 year ago on Google
    A really interesting and worthwhile visit, well worth the admission fee. It is great that group sizes are kept small so there is constant interaction with the owls. The birds are beautiful to watch and close up they are really incredible to observe. Intend to visit again soon. Special thanks to Liam for his fascinating insights into the owls.

  • 5/5 Suzanne W. 1 year ago on Google
    We did the Owl experience and it was so fun! Great knowledge, really thorough experience, the owls were so cute. The 90 minutes was really perfect timing for asking questions and learning all about the 4 owls we got to meet and handle. All very safe and informative. Our owl instructor Liam was excellent, 10/10, we had lots of fun. The owls ranged from small to big with different personalities and sounds and we got to handle and fly (not touch or stroke) them. Everyone got lots of pictures and even a slow mo video where Liam got Bindi (the smallest owl) to fly between us and it looked really cool. You can get up super close to them by holding them close with your elbow tucked in. We had two smaller owls, a barn owl and a lovely larger owl at the end. Smaller group so maximum of 4 makes it really intimate and lots of time with each owl rather than lots and lots of people. Lots of laughs and jokes and opportunities to ask questions about each owl. Would really recommend for owl lovers or anyone in particular who loves animals! Thanks Liam!

  • 5/5 Gabriella M. 2 years ago on Google
    Had a fantastic time on the birds of prey experience for two. Great that it's limited to groups of 4 so everyone had lots of time flying the different species. Liam our guide had lots of knowledge on each bird. Will have to come back to meet more of the beautiful birds. Clearly all very well looked after. Thank you again Liam.

  • 5/5 Georgina T. 7 months ago on Google • 1 review
    Incredible experience! A birthday treat from my boyfriend. A real ‘wow’ day from start to finish. We met a Steppe Eagle, a Harris Hawk, 5 Black Kites and my personal favourite, Gary the Buzzard. Dan was a fountain of knowledge and made our time so special and fun. We will never forget it and are already planning our next visit to meet the owls. Cannot recommend highly enough. Worth every penny. :)

  • 5/5 Cherri B. 5 months ago on Google • 2 reviews
    I bought the Raptor private experience for my Dad as an Xmas present. We had it booked in for July and unfortunately it had to be postponed due to heavy rain. I was contacted and it was easy to rebook. We rebooked for yesterday and the weather was good so all went ahead. Liam met us at the gates as per the instructions and exactly on time. Now on to the actual experience, Liam explained how the experience was going to work, he got to know our names and went through the safety points to remember - All in a brilliant and engaging way, he had us all laughing as well. On to the birds, we had the absolute pleasure of meeting a buzzard, Harris's Hawk, Step Eagle and black kites (as well as the wild red kites and buzzards that graced the sky for us too!). All the birds look beautifully well kept, happy and in extremely good health. They were absolutely astounding and we were all blown away by their presence. Liam was extremely knowledgeable and answered all our questions. We would all highly recommend this experience, the value for money is exceptional and I'm going to be booing the owl experience next! Thank you very much Liam for the most amazing experience. Far exceeded our expectations!

  • 5/5 Sarah and T. 2 months ago on Google • 1 review New
    Just fantastic - you must go and support this Centre. Liam is so knowledgable and cares so much about the owls. Absolutely wonderful to see them fly across the field and then have them land on your arm! Up close they are amazing and they weigh so little. We didn't feel rushed and the 1:1 voucher we bought was worth every penny. We had lunch in the Junction Inn and will recommend making a day of it by also visiting the Spa Valley Steam Valley in Groombridge (you can see the train from the flying field)

  • 5/5 D'Arcy W. 2 months ago on Google • 2 reviews New
    The Bird of Prey experience was spectacular. We saw all sorts of birds, all of which were a surprise for us so I won't share what they were for people who want to be surprised. The experience was very intimate as it was only myself and my partner as well as the staff so we really got stuck into flying the birds and learning about their lovely characters as well as the particulars of all the species. I would highly recommend booking onto any of their experiences as you get a lot of bang for your buck. Reasonably priced. Wonderful knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff. Magnificent birds. Stunning grounds. You have to go and experience it for yourself!!!


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