Scottish Owl Centre — Attraction in Scotland

We visited the centre with high hopes, attracted by the prospect of seeing a variety of magnificent owls. Our experience began positively, with a friendly and professional greeting from the staff who provided useful information about the day's events and guidance around the site. One of the highlights was a kookaburra enclosure right at the start which was a delightful surprise. However, our visit took a downturn as we started viewing the other enclosures - they were not only home to the owls but also displayed numerous dead chicks, used as food, in various states of disintegration and visibly placed close to the viewing areas. As bird enthusiasts, we understand that owls are carnivorous and require such diets, but the graphic nature of this display was jarring and inappropriate for an attraction frequented by families with young children. A trigger warning at the entrance or a heads-up from the staff regarding what to expect inside would have been appropriate and appreciated. Unfortunately, this aspect of our visit significantly impacted our experience, leading us to leave shortly after beginning our tour. This was particularly disappointing given the otherwise excellent setup and the fascinating owls on display. We felt the experience could be significantly improved with more thoughtful placement and communication about the feeding practices. EDIT: I would like to thank the owner for taking their time to respond and explain the rationale behind the...

We arrived in Livingstone too early to check in to the apartment we had booked and were looking for somewhere interesting to go to nearby to kill some time. We decided on going to the Scottish Owl Centre. We were not disappointed. A bonus from the get go was,free parking,then walking in to the reception and the lady there (sorry didnt get her name) was so pleasant,cheerful and extremely helpful. We looked at a few of the owls, before we went to the "meet the owls" talk,which was taken by Nicole..From the moment she started to speak, it was clearly obvious, that this was a young lady, who was clearly very knowledgeable, dedicated, and obviously enjoys her job. She explained about the work of the centre and its aims and was able to explain everything in an easy to understand way. We then continued with viewing the remaining owls before going for coffee,where again the staff were helpful, pleasant and courteous, from there we made our way to watch a demonstration of some of the owls in flight. This again was hosted by Nicole and again was fascinating to watch and learn about the different traits of the different types of owls worldwide. We thourghly enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to anyone who is intrested in wildlife and...

We visited for the first time yesterday and can't believe we have never been before!! Brilliant 👏 big on site carpark and playpark (suitable for older and younger kids) - all on one level disabled and buggy friendly and good underfoot. We had an age range of 68 - 3 and everyone had the best time. The selection of Owls was amazing I had never seen so many different types. There were also very fun and different interactive activities, a very informative (seated, indoor) flying display and opportunities to get photos of and with the owls. There was a nice under cover picnic area and although their cafe was shut we were still able to get tea/coffee/cold drinks and snacks in the reception area. You can go in and out as many times as you like in the day by showing your receipt and with no need to pre-book you can go on short notice (which is great in unpredictable Scottish weather). The gift shop was varied and reasonably priced as well as very well themed to the centre with great keepsakes on offer. We spent 3 hours (due to dinner reservation) but could have spent longer. Can't wait to come back - thank you for lovely...