World Center for Birds of Prey

The World Center for Birds of Prey is an international raptor-conservation campus in Boise, Idaho, and the headquarters of The Peregrine Fund, a nonprofit organization established in 1970 to protect endangered birds of prey. The 580-acre site occupies a hilltop south of Boise Airport and east of Kuna. It brings together the organization’s administrative offices, specialized breeding facilities, public visitor attractions, scientific collections, a research library, and the Archives of Falconry. The center developed after The Peregrine Fund’s earliest captive-breeding work began at Cornell University in 1970 and expanded to a Colorado Division of Wildlife facility in Fort Collins in 1974. Morley Nelson, a Boise-based raptor expert and member of The Peregrine Fund’s board, helped bring the organization’s principal facilities to Idaho. The first Boise structures, completed after the campus was established in 1984, included administrative offices and barns for the captive-breeding program. A climate-controlled tropical-raptor breeding building followed in 1986, improving the organization’s ability to manage species with demanding environmental and reproductive requirements. The campus is closely associated with The Peregrine Fund’s recovery of the peregrine falcon. The species had declined severely, in part because of the effects of the pesticide DDT on reproduction. Through captive breeding, research, and releases, The Peregrine Fund contributed to a broader international recovery effort. The peregrine falcon was removed from the United States Endangered Species list in 1999, an achievement recognized at an international celebration in Boise. Although the center is named for birds of prey generally, its work extends across multiple endangered raptor species and includes field conservation, habitat protection, research, veterinary and reproductive science, and public engagement. The Velma Morrison Interpretive Center opened to the public in 1992. It uses interactive exhibits, multimedia presentations, school programs, outreach activities, and live demonstrations with hawks, falcons, eagles, and owls to explain raptor biology and conservation. Visitors may see live birds, including California condors, and learn about threats to raptors and their habitats. The interpretive center has historically attracted approximately 30,000 visitors annually, although visitor figures may vary by year. The site also supports captive propagation and reintroduction programs. According to the referenced material, the center breeds California condors and aplomado falcons. Condors bred through the program are released in northern Arizona and southern Utah, while aplomado falcon chicks are released in Texas and New Mexico. Video monitoring and studies of disease, contaminants, nutrition, genetics, diet, aging, environment, reproduction, and longevity help biologists assess both captive birds and conservation challenges in the wild. The Gerald D. and Kathryn S. Herrick Collections Building opened in 2002. It houses The Peregrine Fund’s research library, scientific specimen collections, and the Archives of Falconry. The research holdings include more than 20,000 books and monographs, extensive runs of technical journals and conservation publications, and audiovisual and cartographic materials. The Global Raptor Information Network provides species information and links researchers and conservation organizations through an online information service. Scientific collections include eggshells and avian study skins used for research. The Archives of Falconry preserves equipment, memorabilia, artwork, field notes, publications, and media documenting the history of falconry. Its library includes rare and historic works, including books dating to the late fifteenth century. An addition completed in 2006 expanded the archives and was donated by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in honor of his father, the founding president of the United Arab Emirates. The World Center for Birds of Prey therefore functions not as a conventional consumer brand but as a public-facing institutional identity for a conservation, research, education, and heritage campus operated by The Peregrine Fund.

The World Center for Birds of Prey was established in Boise in 1984 as the principal campus and headquarters of The Peregrine Fund. The organization itself had been founded in 1970, initially developing peregrine-falcon breeding facilities at Cornell University in central New York. A second facility was established in 1974 at a Colorado Division of Wildlife site in Fort Collins. The relocation to Boise created a permanent base for administration, research, captive propagation, and public education. Morley Nelson, a prominent Boise raptor specialist and a member of The Peregrine Fund’s board, played an important role in bringing the organization to his home city. The first Boise buildings consisted of offices for the organization and barns supporting its captive-breeding work. In 1986, the Gerald D. and Kathryn Swim Herrick Tropical Raptor Building became the first climate-controlled breeding barn on the new campus, enabling work with species requiring controlled environmental conditions. The center’s public-facing mission expanded in 1992 with the opening of the Velma Morrison Interpretive Center. The facility introduced visitors, school groups, and community audiences to raptor biology and conservation through exhibitions, interactive displays, multimedia programs, and live bird demonstrations. Its educational approach used direct encounters with hawks, falcons, eagles, and owls to connect wildlife conservation with habitat protection. In 1993, the first of three California condor breeding barns was constructed. The campus subsequently became part of broader efforts to breed endangered raptors for release and to study the biological factors affecting their survival. The Peregrine Fund’s work on peregrine falcons formed the institution’s best-known early recovery effort. Peregrines had been pushed toward extinction in North America by factors including DDT contamination, and captive breeding and release programs complemented regulatory and habitat measures. The species was removed from the United States Endangered Species list in 1999, with an international celebration held in Boise. The center’s research facilities support studies of reproduction, health, nutrition, disease, contaminants, genetics, behavior, aging, and environmental effects. Captive birds are monitored, including through video systems, to gather information that can inform management of wild populations. The center has bred California condors for release in northern Arizona and southern Utah and aplomado falcons for release in Texas and New Mexico, according to the referenced institutional history. The Gerald D. and Kathryn S. Herrick Collections Building opened in 2002. It consolidated a research library, scientific specimen collections, and the Archives of Falconry. The research library holds tens of thousands of books and monographs, technical journals, conservation publications, audiovisual resources, and maps. The associated Global Raptor Information Network provides online species accounts and a communications resource for raptor researchers and conservation organizations. The specimen collections include eggshells and avian study skins used by researchers. The Archives of Falconry documents the history and practice of falconry through books, equipment, artwork, field records, memorabilia, and media. Its holdings include historic falconry publications, some dating to 1495. In 2006, the archives expanded through a donated addition associated with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and his father, the founding president of the United Arab Emirates. The new space included an authentic Arab tent and material on Middle Eastern falconry traditions. Today, the World Center for Birds of Prey remains an active institutional campus rather than a commercial product brand. Its functions combine The Peregrine Fund’s headquarters, endangered-raptor breeding and research, public interpretation, conservation education, scientific information services, and falconry heritage preservation.

• 2006

  Archives of Falconry expands

  [1]World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org

  A donated addition doubles the archive’s size and adds displays focused on Middle Eastern falconry traditions.

• 2002

  Herrick Collections Building opens

  [1]World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org

  A building for the research library, scientific collections, and Archives of Falconry opens on the campus.

• 1999

  Peregrine falcon removed from the U.S. Endangered Species list

  [1]World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org

  The peregrine falcon is removed from the United States Endangered Species list after a broad recovery effort involving captive breeding, releases, and environmental regulation.

• 1993

  California condor breeding infrastructure expands

  [1]World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org

  The first of three California condor breeding barns is built at the Boise campus.

• 1992

  Interpretive center opens

  [1]World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org

  The Velma Morrison Interpretive Center opens with exhibits, live demonstrations, multimedia programs, and conservation education.

• 1986

  Climate-controlled breeding barn opens

  [1]World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org

  The Gerald D. and Kathryn Swim Herrick Tropical Raptor Building is constructed to support controlled breeding conditions.

• 1984

  Boise campus established

  [1]World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org

  The World Center for Birds of Prey is established on a 580-acre hilltop site in Boise and becomes The Peregrine Fund’s headquarters.

• 1974

  Colorado breeding facility added

  [1]World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org

  A second early breeding facility is established at a Colorado Division of Wildlife site in Fort Collins.

• 1970

  The Peregrine Fund begins

  [1]World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org

  The Peregrine Fund is founded and establishes its initial peregrine-falcon breeding work at Cornell University.

A specialized conservation and education center connecting endangered-raptor recovery, scientific research, captive propagation, public interpretation, and the preservation of falconry history.

• Public education and visitor attraction · 1992

  Velma Morrison Interpretive Center

  Opened in 1992, the interpretive center presents interactive exhibits, multimedia material, live raptor demonstrations, and educational programming for visitors, schools, and outreach audiences. It introduces the biology of hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, and other birds of prey while emphasizing conservation and habitat protection. The center has historically received approximately 30,000 visitors per year.

• Captive breeding and reintroduction · 1993

  California Condor Conservation Program

  The World Center for Birds of Prey maintains breeding facilities for California condors and supports release efforts intended to strengthen wild populations. Condors produced through the program are released in northern Arizona and southern Utah. Research examines health, genetics, nutrition, disease, contaminants, behavior, and reproduction to improve conservation outcomes.

• Captive breeding and reintroduction

  Aplomado Falcon Conservation Program

  The center breeds aplomado falcons for conservation releases and conducts related biological monitoring. Chicks from the program have been released in Texas and New Mexico, forming part of wider efforts to restore the species and improve its prospects in the wild.

• Research information service

  Global Raptor Information Network

  The Global Raptor Information Network is an online information and communication resource associated with the center’s research library. It provides encyclopedia-style accounts of diurnal hawks, eagles, and falcons, connects researchers and conservation organizations, and distributes information on scientific findings and raptor-conservation issues.

• Cultural archive and research collection · 2002

  Archives of Falconry

  The Archives of Falconry preserves books, equipment, artwork, field notes, memorabilia, and media related to the history and practice of falconry. Its library includes historic works dating back to 1495, while later additions document Arab and Middle Eastern falconry traditions. The archive is housed within the Herrick Collections Building.

• 1992

  Open the Velma Morrison Interpretive CenterOther

  Background

  The Peregrine Fund sought to make raptor conservation accessible to the general public, students, and community groups.

  Action taken

  The organization opened a public interpretive facility with exhibits, interactive displays, multimedia programs, and live raptor demonstrations.

  Aftermath

  The center became the campus’s principal public-education venue and historically attracted about 30,000 visitors annually.

  Source

• 1984

  Move core facilities to BoiseStrategy

  Background

  The Peregrine Fund needed a permanent headquarters capable of combining administration, captive breeding, research, and public education after operating early breeding facilities in New York and Colorado.

  Action taken

  The organization established the World Center for Birds of Prey on a large hilltop site in Boise, Idaho, consolidating its principal institutional functions.

  Aftermath

  The Boise campus became the organization’s long-term headquarters and expanded to include breeding barns, an interpretive center, scientific collections, and falconry archives.

  Source

1. 1World Center for Birds of Preyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Peregrine Fundperegrinefund.org