Visiting the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center and Sanctuary on Key Largo

You know me and how I love my wildlife and educational stops. The Florida Keys Wild Bird Center, aka the Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary, has long been a favorite stop for our family when we’re driving through Key Largo, and we always learn or see something new. Being a home for injured birds that cannot be released back into the wild, you’ll see all kinds of birds here, and some of them really are the coolest.

Have you gotten to visit the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center as you drive through Key Largo? We’ve got all the info you need to add it to your Florida Keys road trip, and also some ways that you can help support the efforts for rehabilitation. If you have any questions about either visiting or what you’ll find at the Wild Bird Center, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a wonderful Florida Keys trip!

Highlights of the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center

Visiting animal rescues and hospitals with kids is such a great way to inspire them to take an interest in wildlife and community. The Florida Keys Wild Bird Center is a great example of a rescue operation that is both cool to visit and that really moves you to care for animals. When you arrive you’ll notice right away that each bird you see has its story posted on its cage. When you read them and start to understand how many of these creatures are here because of human negligence, it’s heartbreaking… and then heartwarming when you see how the volunteers and doctors have taken care of them and turned their misfortune into an opportunity to educate people.

Animal sanctuaries are always a little suspect because many turn a profit at the expense of the animals, but not here. The Florida Keys Wild Bird Center runs donations and good will, and they do a wonderful job making the experience accessible and relatable for everyone. This isn’t a fancy zoo, but is a working sanctuary all about recovery and the best life these birds can live.

I think my favorite birds at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center are the owls. I love owls in general and they’re my favorite bird to photograph, but they’re always so far away. As you go through the pens at the sanctuary you get to see quite a few species of owls up close including screech, great horned, barn and barred owls. It’s pretty cool if you’re a bird nerd like me, and it’s a wonderful way to inspire interest and a conservation mindset in kids.

Tips for Visiting the Florida Keys Wild Bird Sanctuary

Getting to visit the Florida Key Wild Bird Center isn’t a long visit, just an hour or so, making it easy to add to your time on Key Largo. When you arrive there is a donation system in place for visitors to be able to contribute to the sanctuary. You can do a cash donation or Venmo, and there is a suggested donation per person. They aren’t going to police you about it, but it’s good to share the wealth with an organization that’s doing good and educating the public.

Plan your time at the sanctuary to not be rushed. There are lots of birds to check out and read about, so go slow and give each bird a few minutes to be active for you. They’re still wild (not performing) birds so they may not have any tricks, but if you love birds you know that being patience will bring you a wing display, funny behaviors or even some cool bird sounds. There’s no need to be fast as you move through.

Once you’ve been though the many exhibits and enjoyed the pelicans at the end being ridiculous, there’s a short trail that continues on into the mangroves. It’s not a long walk and is really only good to do at low tide. The trail is a bit squishy and just goes through the mangrove forest, but if you haven’t had the opportunity to explore a habitat like this, be sure to go as far as you can. It’s not an astoundingly beautiful jaunt, but kind of cool.

Tip: as you’re heading down through the Keys, the Crane Point Hammock Preserve has an awesome trail system and lots of cool things to see in the mangrove forest, and lots of wildlife to watch for as well.

Being Prepared for the Wild Bird Center

Visiting the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center is a very limited, controlled experience as it’s a place for the birds to get medical help and/or live out their days if they can’t be released back into the wild. With that, there’s not a lot of prep or gear to bring when you arrive. I would highly suggest applying bug spray before you start your visit though. The location of the sanctuary is in a soggy part of Key Largo and there does tend to be more mosquitoes here than other places, like the beaches. It’s not bad, but if you’re sensitive or easily irritated by bugs, you’ll want to use bug spray before you head onto the boardwalks. It’s kind of like the bugs at the Blue Hole on Big Pine Key, so not bad but also they’re there.

When it comes to sunblock, the boardwalks are pretty well shaded and you’re not going to be in a lot of direct sunlight for very long, so it may not be something for you to worry too much about. You know your sensitivity though, so be wise about your sun exposure.

The animals in the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center tend to be all over the place when it comes to being able to see them well for photography purposes. It’s a little tricky because of the wire enclosures to get just the right shots, but with some skill and patience, you have some solid opportunities to capture beautiful up close photos of some of the species here. Some of the enclosures are fairly large so if a bird has decided to hangout at the back of it, a telephoto lens would be useful. If you’re not here for the photography, no worries, your camera phone will likely do the trick.

Getting to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center

Getting to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center is easy, like most places in the Keys. Located at the end of Key Largo as the town becomes Tavernier, the sanctuary is on the right side of the Overseas Highways as you head south. If you’re coming from Islamorada it’s located on the left but because there is a large forested median, you’ll need to drive past the sanctuary entrance and then pull a U-turn to enter. It’s easier than it sounds. The parking area is a bit tight, so be mindful of the other drivers and move slowly through the drive.