World Center for Birds of Prey, Boise, Idaho

Education to Idahoans is important. For this reason they have numerous museums and historical sites in the city. One attraction for visitors and residents of Boise is the World Center for Birds of Prey. Boise is the capital of Idaho, which makes it imperative to offer a place devoted to conservation of animals, plants, and cultures. The World Center for Birds of Prey is the Peregrine Fund's headquarters. Peregrine Falcons have been endangered since the 1970's. This is when the international organization was formed.

In 1984, the World Center for Birds of Prey was built, putting it on 580 acres of land. It sits on a hill overlooking Boise. It is a campus of buildings with numerous business offices for the Peregrine fund. They have breeding facilities for the endangered falcons. The site also has the Velma Morrison Interpretive Center, Herrick Collections Building, and a vast research library. Also onsite is the Archives of Falconry.

The most important aspect of the World Center is their conservation and recovery efforts. Personnel work around the world to protect all birds of prey, and especially those that are endangered. It focuses mainly on the Peregrine Falcon since the chemical DDT wiped out most of the species. In 1999 the falcon was finally removed from the U.S. Endangered Species list. A celebration was held in Boise for the removal.

The Peregrine Fund was first established by Cornell University. Four years later a Colorado Division was started. This division was moved to Boise in 1984. Morley Nelson was already in Boise, known for his expert knowledge of raptors, which is one of the reasons a large facility like the World Center for Birds of Prey was established.

At the beginning only an office for the fund administration and barns for captive breeding were built. The center was the first climate controlled breeding barn created. It took until 1986 for it to be completed. The public was allowed at the site in 1992 with the Velma Morrison center. The center was devised to offer education, exhibits, and outreach programs. The directors of World Center of Birds of Prey wanted to provide a look at endangered raptors and other birds of prey for the regular person. Visitors have been able to learn about the breeding programs, the work effort involved, and even view the scientific specimen collections.

The research and captive breeding center was designed to bring health, reproduction, and introduce endangered species back into the world. Their focus has been and is on understanding the birds' diet, aging, and environment. All of these aspects affect the health of the bird. The researchers also wanted to understand the growth, reproduction, and lifespan to its fullest extent. The California Condor and Aplomado Falcon have been studied. They are also part of the captive breeding program. The researchers are hoping to reintroduce these two bird species as well. In the Archive of Falconry equipment, artwork, field notes, and media collection regarding the ancient sport of falconry are all shared with visitors.