Watching Wildlife at Treehouse Wildlife Center

Bobcats, eagles, and foxes are just some of the wildlife you can see at Treehouse Wildlife Center. It is located about halfway between Grafton and Alton in the country.

We took the kid who ran back and forth between birds and the other wildlife and not in order. Luckily there was plenty of animals to check out and kept his interest the whole time we were there.

Birds First

My son first checked out the turkey vultures. One even spread out his wings showing the full length. Unluckily, I was not able to gain a photo.

Then we saw the black and white feathers of the eagles. They were jumping around in their cages and flying short distances giving us a display of their power.

Next, our eyes met a hawk that stared at me as we went by his cage.

The owls tended to be in the back hugging the darkness as they are nocturnal.

Pelicans were out and about happy to be enjoying the warm day.

Foxes

Andrew next checked out the foxes. I saw different colored ones and learned that red foxes can come in different colors and saw a grey and black one here.

Coyotes

The coyotes had a large cage and spent their time patrolling their area. They looked out at us watching us walk by.

Bobcats

Towards the back of the center were bobcats. Seeing them act, reminds me of my sister’s housecat. One turned over on its back and looked like it wanted a belly rub.

“He looks like our dog Chewie when he does that,” Andrew, my son said.

Time to Linger

We went back and checked the falcons some more and back through to see the eagles. It is not a large place, but you can spend as much time as you like since it isn’t crowded. Sometimes at a zoo, I feel pushed along by the crowds, but here he could go back and forth and see what they were doing.

Signs share how the animals came to the center.

How the Wildlife Came to Treehouse

On the boards, they share the stories of how the wildlife ends up at the center.

Stevie, a great horned owl, has been a resident of the Treehouse since March of 2000 after he was found on the ground of a car dealership suffering a head injury.

Utah, a red fox, was found running with a pack of dogs in Utah and believed to have been someone’s pet.

These were only some of them, they were not next to each cage, so I wasn’t sure exactly which animal went with which story.

In front of the Treehouse Wildlife Center

Treehouse Wildlife Center facts

Treehouse Wildlife Center is on 8.5 acres and was established in 1979 to rescue and rehabilitate native wildlife. It provides a professional service to people in central and southern Illinois who encounter sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife.

Funds for the center are all by donations, fundraisers, grants, and education programs.

NOTE: Due to Covid-19 the Education Center and restroom facilities are closed.

Falcon staring down. — A bird of prey staring down

DETAILS

DRIVE: Take Interstate 270 to Exit 31 and go north on Highway 67 and cross the bridge into Alton. Take a right on Illinois Highway 100 then make a right onto Clifton Terrace Road and go north to Highway 3. Make a left onto Highway 3 then a left onto Cemetery Road and then a final right onto Green Acres Road and look for a sign for the center on the right.

Hours: 10 am – 4 pm daily

Admission: By donation

Address: 23956 Green Acres Rd, Dow, IL 62022