Excitement is building for the grand opening of the California Condor exhibit on June 5 at The Peregrine Fund World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise.  The center is world famous for its endangered species recovery methods of breeding and releasing birds of prey back into their natural habitat, and is best known for its role in the recovery of the Peregrine Falcon from extinction. 

        Jack Cafferty, director of the Velma Morrison Interpretive Center at the World Center for Birds of Prey says, “The condor display is truly a unique opportunity to see North America’s largest flying bird up close.”  Visitors can stand within ten feet of a live California Condor.

        Specifically designed for the Birds of Prey Center, the exhibit features a 20-foot rock cliff encased in a 25-foot stainless steel mesh enclosure.  A live tree near the front of the display provides nesting perches easily visible to visitors. A nesting cave and numerous large boulders replicate the condors’ natural habitat for a pair of the birds housed in the exhibit.  

        The nesting cave encourages the birds to lay their eggs, which are then replaced with dummy eggs. The real eggs are incubated, and the chicks reared for possible release into the wild.

        The Boise-based Peregrine Fund is one of the more significant partners and breeders who manage the releases as well, which differentiates it from other breeding facilities. In 1982, only 22 California Condors were left in the world. The Peregrine Fund now houses a significant 15 percent of the world’s population of California Condors, with 50 to 60 condors on-site.

        This new California Condor exhibit in Boise is the only place in North America, outside of the San Diego and Santa Barbara Zoos, where you can see live California Condors on display. There are other breeding facilities, but visitors cannot view the birds.  

        During the grand opening, special presentations by the condor propagation staff will highlight the successful breeding projects. Interpretive educational signs describe the condors’ history, current needs, and the actions people can take to help.

        Numerous educational activities are lined up for the grand opening. Mark Purdy, the education coordinator at the Velma Morrison Interpretive Center at the World Center for Birds of Prey says, “We are trying to make it family-friendly so kids and parents…can participate in activities they can share in.”

        Kids can make wing tags and learn about the importance of the banding projects. An interactive wingspan activity demonstrates the condors’ vast almost 9-foot wingspan. Other craft projects include making condor masks and beaks, creating a plane to fly, completing a condor maze and puzzle, and coloring condor fact sheets.

        If you miss the grand opening, the Center and the condor exhibit are open year-round. Throughout the year, visitors can attend six daily bird presentations of live birds, as well as see the interactive museum exhibits and tour the Archives of Falconry. View the website for specific tour and presentation times.

        The Center is open 9am–5pm daily from March 1 through October 31.  From November 1 through February 28, it is open from 10am–4pm and is closed on Mondays.

FREE ADMISSION on Saturday June 5 for the Grand Opening of the California Condor Exhibit!

World Center for Birds of Prey

Velma Morrison Interpretive Center

5668 West Flying Hawk Lane, Boise

(208) 362-8687

www.peregrinefund.org

Regular Entrance Fees:

Adults: $7 (63+, $6)

Kids 4–16: $5

Kids under 4: free

        For maximum value, enjoy unlimited year-round free admission to the Center by buying the annual Family Membership covering four family members for $50, or the $25 Individual Membership 

Natalie Bartley is a Boise-based author of the newly released Best Easy Day Hikes Boise guidebook and the Best Rail Trails Pacific Northwest guidebook, available at outdoor retail shops and bookstores.