U.S. Representative John Mica (R-FL 7th District), fresh from his reelection to Congress, spent part of Monday morning visiting the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland to learn about the facility. First elected to Congress in Central Florida in 1992, Rep. Mica ran for reelection in a district with new boundaries that now include our wonderful Center.

During his visit, Rep. Mica observed veterinary procedures being performed on a Barred Owl and Great Horned Owl in the Center's clinic, and saw Bald Eagles being rehabilitated for release in the Center's 100' flight cage.

Founded in 1979 in Maitland, FL, the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey has treated over 16,500 injured or orphaned birds of prey (raptors), releasing more than 40% of these former patients back into the wild. The Center handles the largest volume of eagles, owls, falcons, hawks, and kites east of the Mississippi River--averaging more than 650 admissions, or injured or orphaned birds of prey, each year—and is a leader among all North American rehabilitation centers for specialized eagle care.

The Center has now released 452 rehabilitated Bald Eagles to the wild, and serves as an education center reaching over 30,000 school children annually.