1 / 2Owl & Bird of Prey Sanctuary
📍 Preston, North West
Non-profit sanctuary in Turbary Woods housing over 90 birds of prey across multiple species. Daily flight displays let children handle birds and fly them to the glove. No advance booking required.
Brilliant day! The team of volunteers are wonderful, friendly and kind. They take such good care of the birds and are great with the audience, especially the children. So many beautiful owls and birds of prey. If you watch the 12.30 display there’s plenty of opportunities for the kids to help fly the birds and the volunteers are very knowledgeable and entertaining. The thing I loved is that the place isn’t polished and aimed at rinsing money out of tourists, it’s all about the birds and making sure they are cared for and understood. A little hidden gem. Thank you for having us, we’ll be back!
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Best for families with children aged 4+ who want a genuine, conservation-focused wildlife experience. The 12:30 flight display is the optimal session for child participation — kids can fly birds to the glove and feed them directly. The site is rustic rather than polished, which is part of its appeal. Photography is encouraged throughout.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →987 Google reviews
Michelle Jenkins
7 months ago
“Brilliant day! The team of volunteers are wonderful, friendly and kind. They take such good care of the birds and are great with the audience, especially the children. So many beautiful owls and birds of prey. If you watch the 12.30 display there’s plenty of opportunities for the kids to help fly the birds and the volunteers are very knowledgeable and entertaining. The thing I loved is that the place isn’t polished and aimed at rinsing money out of tourists, it’s all about the birds and making sure they are cared for and understood. A little hidden gem. Thank you for having us, we’ll be back!”
Alison Miller
5 months ago
“Absolutely brilliant! What a wonderful experience and to be able to get up so close to these beautiful animals. We bought the owl experience for my brothers birthday and he loved it! He couldn't stop smiling! All the volunteers are very knowledge, friendly and passionate about the birds and the sanctuary. I love the fact it's not commercialised. Its all about the birds and creating a safe and natural environment for visitors to enjoy too. Thank you for having us and allowing us to take photographs of a very memorable day.”
Sara Auty
3 months ago
“A bird lovers paradise! We were pleasantly surprised at how many different birds were there, some we’ve not heard of. The flight display was incredible and we couldn’t believe how up close you could get, including wearing a glove to have the birds fly to you and feed them. The team that run the centre were really friendly and knowledgeable. We couldn’t recommend it enough and today was freezing! Well worth it though and our 6 year old loved it.”
Olga Lockhart
a month ago
“What a wonderful happy place,we visited many birds zoos,but this is our favorite and absolutely best! Birds flight display is very special big variety of birds talk and great opportunity to hold different birds,which is very rear thing,100%recommend.We are always coming back when it’s on our way.”
Reviews from Google
Overview
Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary is volunteer-run and houses over 90 birds including eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, and vultures in woodland aviaries. The midday flight display gives children direct handling opportunities — flying birds to the glove and feeding them. Specialist experiences including owl encounters and falconer days can be booked separately. Seasonal opening hours apply.
