View source for World Center for Birds of Prey

{{Short description|US-based non-profit organization}}
{{Other uses|Bird of prey (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey
| logo = 
| image = File:World Center for Birds of Prey.jpg
| imagesize = 
| caption = Panorama of World Center for Birds of Prey, May 2017
| alt = 
| map_type = 
| map_caption = 
| map_alt = 
| coordinates = {{coord|43.517|-116.256|type:landmark_scale:2000_region:US|display=inline,title}}
| former_name = 
| established = {{Start date and age|1984}}
| dissolved = 
| location = 5668 W. Flying Hawk Lane<br>[[Boise, Idaho]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| type = 
| collection = 
| visitors = 50,000 / yr.
| president = Richard T. Watson
| curator = 
| publictransit = 
| network = 
| website = [http://www.peregrinefund.org peregrinefund.org]
}}
{{Location map
|USA
|relief     = 1
|label      = <small> Boise</small>
|lat        = 43.517
|long       = -116.256
|caption    = Location in the [[United States]]
|float      = 
|background =
|mark       =
|marksize   = 5
|position   = 
|width      = 240
}}

The '''World Center for Birds of Prey''' in [[Boise, Idaho]], is the headquarters for [[The Peregrine Fund]], an international non-profit organization founded in 1970 that conserves endangered [[Bird of prey|raptors]] around the world.<ref name=ncwbbop>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IgwhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aHMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2645%2C780939 |newspaper=Schenectady Gazette |location=New York |agency=UPI |last=Green |first=Steve |title=New center will breed birds of prey |date=November 19, 1984 |page=50 }}</ref><ref name=tatinswid>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XFxWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CPADAAAAIBAJ&pg=3366%2C1603109 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Southwest Idaho Travel Association, Inc. |title=Birds of prey a major tourist attraction in southwest Idaho |date=February 19, 1987 |page=6 ID}}</ref><ref name=bcnyt88>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zvdNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RosDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6720%2C1568308 |newspaper=Free Lance-Star |location=Fredericksburg, Virginia |agency=(New York Times) |last=Schneider |first=Keith |title=Bird center rescues predators falling prey to progress |date=June 9, 1988 |page=6 }}</ref>

Built {{Years or months ago|1984}} in 1984,<ref name=dedctsr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H1hWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9u4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4649%2C8969519 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=(staff and wire reports) |title=Officials dedicate new World Center for Birds of Prey |date=May 14, 1984 |page=10 }}</ref><ref name=denws84>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M5YpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7YIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7032%2C4924018 |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |agency=Associated Press |title=Move over spuds - Idaho also famous for prey birds |date=December 10, 1984 |page=D9}}</ref> the World Center for Birds of Prey is located on {{convert|580|acre|km2}} on a hilltop overlooking Boise, south of the [[Boise Airport|airport]] and east of [[Kuna, Idaho|Kuna]]. The campus consists of the business offices of The Peregrine Fund, breeding facilities for endangered raptors, the '''Velma Morrison Interpretive Center''', and the Herrick Collections Building, which houses a large research library and the Archives of Falconry.

The Peregrine Fund is known for its worldwide [[conservation ethic|conservation]] and recovery efforts of rare and endangered raptors. The organization's first recovery effort focused on the [[peregrine falcon]], which was facing extinction due to the widespread use of the chemical [[DDT]].<ref name=ncwbbop/><ref name=bcnyt88/> The peregrine falcon was removed from the [[Endangered Species Act|U.S. Endangered Species]] list in 1999 at an international celebration held in Boise.<ref name=ftbtknoff>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lewyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lQgGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6602%2C7055114 |newspaper=Free Lance-Star |location=Fredericksburg, Virginia |agency=Associated Press |last=Gallagher |first=Dan |title=Falcon to be taken off endangered list |date=August 26, 1998 |page=A4 }}</ref><ref name=cwptolst>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7mNWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G_IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6451%2C1139140 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Crapo wants peregrines taken off list |date=July 22, 1999 |page=B2 }}</ref><ref name=pftbremv>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eIQzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PCEGAAAAIBAJ&pg=5267%2C6626117 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Associated Press |last=Kelley |first=Matt |title=Peregrine falcon back from the abyss |date=August 20, 1999 |page=B3 }}</ref><ref name=pfgiqtr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SWQzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KvAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2967%2C2770741 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |location=Idaho-Washington |agency=Associated Press |last=Miller |first=John |title=Perigrine falcon graces Idaho quarter |date=July 25, 2006 |page=9A }}</ref>

== History ==
The Peregrine Fund's original breeding facilities were established at [[Cornell University]] in central [[New York (state)|New York]] state in 1970 and at a [[Colorado]] [[Colorado Parks and Wildlife|Division of Wildlife]] facility in [[Fort Collins, Colorado|Fort Collins]] in 1974.<ref name=bcnyt88/> They were moved to Boise after the organization established the World Center for Birds of Prey in 1984.<ref name=dedctsr/> [[Morley Nelson]] of Boise,<ref name=ncwbbop/> a well-known raptor expert and member of The Peregrine Fund board of directors, was instrumental in bringing the organization to his hometown.

The first buildings at the new site were an office for The Peregrine Fund administration and barns for the [[captive breeding]] program. The organization's first [[climate control|climate-controlled]] breeding barn (the Gerald D. and Kathryn Swim Herrick Tropical Raptor Building) was constructed in 1986. In 1992, the Velma Morrison Interpretive Center opened to the public with exhibits of rare and endangered raptors, interactive displays, and outreach programs for schools and other groups.

In 1993, the first of three [[California condor]] breeding barns was constructed. The Gerald D. and Kathryn S. Herrick Collections Building opened in 2002 with space for The Peregrine Fund's research library, scientific specimen collections, and the Archives of Falconry.

== Research and captive breeding ==
The center's research facilities are designed to enhance the health, reproduction, and reintroduction efforts of endangered species and to collect information about the general biology of raptors. The science is focused on understanding how diet, aging and environment affect the health, growth, reproduction and lifespan of the birds. The propagation program played a critical role in the successful recovery of the peregrine falcon.

The organization currently breeds the endangered [[California condor]] and [[aplomado falcon]] at the World Center for Birds of Prey. The condors are released to the wild in northern [[Arizona|Arizona and southern Utah]]; aplomado falcon chicks are released to the wild in [[Texas]] and [[New Mexico]]. Captive birds in the breeding facility are monitored by video, which allows the collection of detailed behavioral information. Studies on disease, contaminants, nutrition and genetics help biologists evaluate problems facing birds in the wild.

== Velma Morrison Interpretive Center ==
The Peregrine Fund made the world of raptors more accessible to the public at the Velma [[Morrison-Knudsen]] Interpretive Center, established in 1992. The facility features interactive displays, multi-media shows and live demonstrations with hawks, falcons, eagles and owls. Visitors may observe a live California condor and other birds of prey. The environmental education program has three components: general public, school-endorsed programs, and outreach. All three use live raptors as an avenue for promoting conservation of birds of prey and their habitat. The interpretive center draws approximately 30,000 visitors annually. Velma Morrison (1920–2013) was the second wife and widow of Harry Morrison (1885–1971), co-founder of [[Morrison-Knudsen]] Corporation.<ref name=vvmobit>{{cite web |url=http://www.summersfuneral.com/book-of-memories/1630543/Morrison-Velma/obituary.php?Printable=true |publisher=Summers Funeral Homes |location=Boise, Idaho |title=In memory of Velma V. Morrison |agency=(obituary) |accessdate=February 4, 2016}}</ref>

== Library and archives ==
Completed in 2002, the Gerald D. and Kathryn S. Herrick Collections Building provides space for The Peregrine Fund's research library, scientific specimen collections, and the Archives of Falconry. The research library collections include more than 20,000 books and monographs and full or partial runs of more than 1,400 technical journals and conservation magazines, newsletters, videos, CDs and maps. The library's Global Raptor Information Network (GRIN) is an online service that provides encyclopedia-style species accounts of diurnal hawks, eagles and falcons, connects raptor researchers and conservation organizations through a global communications network, and posts information on research findings and raptor conservation issues. The library's specimen collections include more than 13,000 eggshells and nearly 300 avian study skins for use by researchers.

The Archives of Falconry includes [[falconry]] equipment and memorabilia, artwork, field notes, and a substantial media collection on the ancient sport of falconry. The Archives of Falconry's library consists of 2,000 books on falconry, including some originals dating to 1495. The archives doubled in size in 2006 with a {{convert|3000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} addition donated by His Highness Sheikh [[Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan|Mohamed bin Zayed]] to honor his father, the founding president of the [[United Arab Emirates]]. The new wing displays an authentic Arab tent, memorabilia, and displays related to the ancient tradition of Middle Eastern falconry.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.peregrinefund.org The Peregrine Fund]
**[http://www.peregrinefund.org/visit Velma Morrison Interpretive Center]
**[http://www.peregrinefund.org/falconry Archives of Falconry]
*[http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/indexAlt.asp Global Raptor Information Network]

{{Non-profit organizations based in Idaho}}
{{Zoos of Idaho}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Environmental organizations based in the United States]]
[[Category:Wildlife rehabilitation and conservation centers]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Boise, Idaho]]
[[Category:Education in Boise, Idaho]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Boise, Idaho]]
[[Category:Nature centers in Idaho]]
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in Idaho]]
[[Category:Ornithological organizations in the United States]]
[[Category:Raptor organizations]]
[[Category:1984 establishments in Idaho]]