Introduction to Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center

How do conservationists prevent the extinction of rare and endangered waterfowl? Many rare exotic animals, such as elephants, rhinos, apes and cats are maintained both genetically and in numbers by a consortium of zoos. But very few zoos or other biological institutions conduct any significant breeding of some of the world's most threatened waterfowl -- the White-winged Wood Duck of Asia, the Laysan Duck of the Hawaiian archipelago, the Madagascar Teal of Africa or Australia's Freckled Duck. These bird species and many more are currently in a fight for survival. It is through the efforts of a few knowledgeable and dedicated aviculturalists, like those at the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center, that the world’s major breeding and research projects are conducted.

Please visit Our Mission page for details about the goals of our organization.

Why Scotland Neck, North Carolina?

The location of Scotland Neck -- a small city in the heart of an ecologically rich area of Eastern North Carolina -- provides an ideal climate for the geographically diverse species living at Sylvan Heights.  It is southern enough to keep species

that normally live in the tropics, yet northern enough to accommodate some of the sea ducks that typically live in Arctic or sub-Antarctic climates.

Fresh water is amply supplied from natural wells, and nearly all of the 120 aviaries have flowing water - a very important element for successfully raising and maintaining waterfowl. There is ample forest and wetlands surrounding the current site to allow for future expansion as needed. Scotland Neck is within easy driving distance of the Raleigh-Durham area, providing access to the major universities located there, as well as a source of interns and volunteers. The North Carolina Zoological Park and Society offices are also close enough to lend assistance in a variety of ways, ranging from on-site help to financial resources.

Scotland Neck is only a few miles from the Roanoke River, an environmentally protected waterway that attracts many thousands of migrating ducks, geese and swans to the North Carolina coastal plain.  The cypress-tupelo swamp forests and wetlands surrounding Scotland Neck are a wintering home for many bird species, and provide opportunities for waterfowl, raptor and songbird observation. In fact, this area was named one of the top 500 most important bird areas by the American Bird Conservancy Guide.  Nearby wildlife refuges, nature preserves and managed private lands are home to black bear, beaver, river otter, bobcat, mink and North Carolina's largest concentrations of white-tailed deer and wild turkeys. Scotland Neck also has one of the few public boat landings to access the Roanoke River Canoe Trails, offering a unique wilderness experience for kayakers and canoeists. 

The Future of Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center

Center Directors Mike and Ali Lubbock take very seriously their stewardship of the worlds' largest and most diverse waterfowl collections. They also have short and long-term goals that will continue to place Sylvan Heights in the elite category of waterfowl conservation programs. Their goals include the expansion of existing breeding projects and conservation-oriented husbandry programs for college students and wildlife professionals. 

In addition, the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park & Eco-Center was built so the public and and a wide variety of schools groups could witness for themselves the success of Sylvan Heights' misson. With the assistance of the North Carolina Zoological Society, the Eco-Center allows a way for those who have an interest in preserving waterfowl and other bird species to support this world-class conservation facility. 

Please visit the Get Involved pages for more information on becoming a volunteer at the preserve.