Meet our Avian Ambassadors – Our Education Birds

Our education birds give visitors a rare chance to go face-to-face with animals that are most often seen far in the distance or high in the sky. Close up, you can observe the intricate pattern of feathers, the impressive size of their talons, and the lively glint in the eyes of these beautiful birds of prey.

Our education birds cannot be released to the wild due to injuries or other problems.
The World Center for Birds of Prey is not a rehabilitation facility for injured birds. Some rehabilitators have donated birds that are imprinted on humans (too accustomed or reliant on people to be returned to the wild) or if the birds have handicaps that make them non-releasable.
We have given our birds names to help us keep track of them, but they are not pets. Though the close bond between the birds and their handlers is obvious, we care for them and train them in ways that best preserve their wild characteristics.

We invite you to visit our birds at the World Center for Birds of Prey.You may view our schedule of daily live bird presentations or take a behind-the-scenes tour for a more in-depth look at the care and training of our avian ambassadors.

Stella

Aplomado Falcon

Hatched in 2001 at the World Center for Birds of Prey, Stella was raised by Peregrine Fund President J. Peter Jenny. Stella has traveled all over the country, accompanying staff on trips to meet with donors and supporters of our program to recover endangered Aplomado Falcons. Even for a bird, Stella has an impressive number of Frequent Flyer miles.

As a result of all this interaction with people, Stella is unflappable. She is patient and stately, even in a crowd. She has traversed the streets of New York City wearing a hood on her head while sitting securely on her handler’s glove.

Each spring, biologists carefully watch over more than 100 chicks produced by the captive flock of endangered Aplomado Falcons at the World Center for Birds of Prey. When the chicks are about a month old, they are transferred to Texas and New Mexico for release to the wild.