Raptors including eagles, hawks, and owls have specific welfare needs in zoo and falconry settings that center on flight and behavior expression.
Raptor welfare in zoo and education settings centers on the question of flight. Animals whose entire anatomy and behavioral repertoire evolved for aerial hunting experience welfare compromise when they cannot fly. Traditional display on perches is increasingly recognized as inadequate — modern best practice uses large free-flight aviaries that allow genuine flight exercise. For education and falconry birds who must be handled, welfare depends on the quality of manning (habituation to human contact), the frequency of free flight, and careful monitoring of stress indicators during handling and public exposure. The welfare goal for any kept raptor is a daily behavioral budget that includes meaningful flight exercise.