Raptor rehabilitation has advanced significantly with evidence-based protocols improving both survival rates and quality of welfare during care, making it one of the most scientifically developed areas of wildlife rehabilitation.
Raptor rehabilitation offers genuine welfare benefit when evidence-based protocols are followed, but poorly conducted rehabilitation can cause significant suffering. Key welfare concerns during care include capture myopathy from stress, inappropriate housing causing chronic fear responses, and inadequate flight assessment leading to releasing birds unable to survive independently. Best practice facilities minimize human contact, use species-appropriate housing, conduct rigorous flight testing, and have clear euthanasia protocols for animals unlikely to achieve releasable condition.