Raptor Center of Southeast Michigan

Raptor Center of SE Michigan is a small non-profit organization comprised of two experienced rehabilitators and dedicated transport volunteers. With over 35 years of combined experience working with and handling raptors, we focus on the rehabilitation of injured and sick birds of prey. Our primary objective is to return and reunite these magnificent creatures into their natural habitat. In instances where release is not feasible, we make the difficult decision of either humanly euthanizing or designating the bird as a non-releasable education bird.

Mission:

Our 501c3 non-profit is organized exclusively for raptor rehabilitation, with a focus on charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. Our mission includes:

• Rehabilitating sick, injured, or orphaned raptors and returning them to the wild in a healthy, fit condition.
• Increasing overall knowledge of raptors and raptor husbandry through networking and fieldwork.
• Educating the public, particularly school-age children, about wildlife, conservation, ecology, and habitat through the use of organizational non-releasable raptors.

About Our Executive Director:

Alysha Albrecht as Executive Director

Alysha’s journey in raptor rehabilitation started in 2011 when she volunteered with Birds of Prey at the Leslie Science and Nature Center. Recognizing the need for raptor care in her area, she pursued hands-on experience under Dody Wyman’s mentorship at the River Raisin Raptor Center. Alysha obtained her state and federal permits in 2022. Currently serving as the Executive Director of The Raptor Center of Southeast Michigan, she oversees daily intake and rehabilitation, office operations, and fundraising efforts. She is an active member of the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Association (IWRC), National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) and the Michigan Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators (MAWR).

Our History

When Alysha moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2011, she was inspired by a Leslie Science and Nature Center event featuring a great horned owl. She felt an immediate connection and decided to dedicate herself to helping birds of prey.

She began volunteering weekly at LSNC, a commitment she kept for over eight years. It was there that she met Dody Wyman, a well-respected raptor rehabilitator and educator who had designed the birds’ enclosures and filled them with several of her non-releasable educational raptors.

Dody had been rehabilitating raptors since 1986 and, in 1998, formed the nonprofit River Raisin Raptor Center. She attended and presented at wildlife rehabilitation conferences across the country and served as a board member of the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council for ten years.

Alysha was fortunate to have Dody take her under her wing as a sub-permittee in raptor rehabilitation. Over the next few years, Dody mentored her in securing Federal and State permits and establishing the Raptor Center of Southeast Michigan (RCSM) as a 501c3 nonprofit. Under Dody’s guidance, Alysha gained the knowledge and confidence to rehabilitate all raptors with the goal of successful release back into the wild.

In 2022, Alysha officially obtained her own state and federal rehabilitation permits and now serves as the Executive Director of The Raptor Center of Southeast Michigan.

During her early years of training, she and Dody developed a strong working relationship and have maintained a valued friendship ever since. Under Dody’s mentorship, Alysha gained hands-on experience with more than 300 birds of prey. Her dedication and passion led her to officially become a sub-permittee in 2019—a role she considers an absolute honor and blessing.

Through these experiences, Alysha has collaborated with local veterinarians, participated in educational events, and built connections with other raptor rehabilitators and falconers to strengthen raptor rehabilitation efforts throughout southeast Michigan.

Today, RCSM relies on the support of community members who report injured birds. Our primary focus is always to release birds back into the wild. When release is not possible, we carefully evaluate the best course of action for each bird, with their welfare as our highest priority.

Alysha’s expertise enables her to assess each bird’s condition, develop recovery plans, and, when necessary, make difficult decisions in the bird’s best interest. She not only leads our rehabilitation efforts but also shares her knowledge to promote raptor conservation through education.

At RCSM, we are dedicated to the well-being of raptors and committed to making a lasting impact through conservation, education, and rehabilitation. Join us on this meaningful journey.