Today's daytrip offers something great for bird lovers. you won't need any binoculars on this bird watching expedition and you won't have to strain your ears to hear them either, here at the Peace River
Wildlife Center.

Michelle Neef is a wildlife specialist at the center and says she hears a "symphony" of bird calls each day. She also says children are always impressed.

"I'll be in this enclosure and just listen to them - "Oh my gosh a screech owl or oh my gosh a bald eagle." they're just amazed by what we have here," Neef tells us.

About seventy birds call the Peace River Wildlife Center home. Few, if any of the birds are here by choice. Some have broken wings or other injuries. Others were raised by humans and now they can't go back to the wild. Be sure to see the crow Spirit. This is one bird that will likely come up and say "Hello!"

You'll see and hear a wide variety of birds. They offer guided tours, or you can walk at your leisure. As you stop at each bird, you can read about the animals along the way.

What you don't see is the work behind the scenes that the wildlife specialists like Neef are doing everyday. The rehabilitate injured animals and eventually return the back to the wild. They say they treat about 2000 animals a year.

Christel Gerdel is one of the volunteers at the center and she spends time in the afternoons serving up lunch to the pelicans.

She's been coming to help out for six years. She says, "It gives me great satisfaction to help helpless animals. I think I like animals better than humans. It's just gratifying to see that they can live out their lives and be cared for."

Before you wrap up your visit, be sure to make a stop at the gift shop where they have all these souvenirs from the Wildlife Center. They even have some original pictures of some of the birds and animals who spent time here. when you make your daytrip here to the Peace River Wildlife Center, all the money you spend goes towards helping these animals.

Peace River Wildlife Center
3400 West Marion Ave.
Ponce de Leon Park
Punta Gorda
941-637-3830

Open Daily
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
No Admission
Donations Encouraged