World Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park, Missouri

Second in popularity only to gardening, birding is one of America’s favorite outdoor hobbies. Located in Valley Park, Missouri, 25 minutes west of downtown St. Louis, the World Bird Sanctuary is a place to support this fascination.

The World Bird Sanctuary cares for birds and a small variety of other animals from the Midwest and around the world.

The Sanctuary is responsible for bringing the peregrine falcon back to Missouri, releasing more than 500 barn owls and educating the 60 to 70 thousand people who visit the facility every year.

Many of the birds currently in the care of the World Bird Sanctuary will be released after propagation or rehabilitation. All of the species in the Sanctuary’s care — ranging from the bald eagle to the domestic rat — total about 350 animals. The project adheres to a strong mission statement: To preserve the earth’s biological diversity and to secure the future of threatened bird species in their natural environment.

In 1977, a small group of bird enthusiasts, headed by Walter C. Crawford Jr., formed the Raptor Rehabilitation and Propagation Project. In 1982, Crawford left his job at the St. Louis Zoo and took on the project full time, giving it the name it has today.

Throughout the years, the staff members at the World Bird Sanctuary have striven to share their knowledge about the animals in their care with others.

“We have to expose people, especially children, to creatures that aren’t threatening,” Crawford said. “If they don’t understand an animal, they are not going to love it. If they don’t love it, they are not going to want to help.”

To expose people to the variety of animals housed at the World Bird Sanctuary, the facility hosts numerous events throughout the year. These include World Eagle Day, Sunrise with Songbirds, Birds in Concert, Open House, Creatures of Halloween, Owl Prowl and Christmas is for the Birds. Crawford said that his favorite event is the Open House, which was started more than 25 years ago. It’s held the third weekend in October and is a chance for the general public to view all the buildings in the facility. He also said he enjoys the Owl Prowl, an event that allows visitors to listen for wild owl calls or even call one themselves.

“That’s what it’s all about — getting people involved,” Crawford said. “If you don’t get people involved, it just doesn’t work.”
The events generally tie in with the seasons and what is happening at the time.

“During the fall migrations, we get lots of hurt birds,” Crawford said. “In the winter, wild eagles come through Missouri. Of course, in the spring there are babies. And summer brings about songbirds. No one season is greater than the others. There are four different seasons, each a different experience.”

Director of Education Teri Schroer identified her favorite season as January.

“January is the eagle migration,” Schroer said. “At that time we host many events. Most places are busiest in the summer, but for us, eagle season is the busy season.”

Schroer also said that her favorite resident is Patriot, a bald eagle she has worked with since the bird was very young.

While part of her job involves training birds, Schroer also has the chance to instruct people when coordinating many of the educational programs hosted by the facility. She said she most enjoys teaching her Fur, Feathers and Scales class, which is geared toward young children.

“I love working with that age,” Schroer said. “Everything is still so new and exciting. It’s great seeing them experience the live animals up close, often for the first time ever.”

The World Bird Sanctuary is open 363 days a year from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.The property, which occupies more than 305 acres, contains a nature center, the Raptique Gift Shop, a raptor exhibit, the Visitor Information Center, the Wildlife Hospital, an extensive walking exhibit trail and a hiking trail.

Everything that goes on at the World Bird Sanctuary would not be possible without the staff, volunteers and donors. At the moment, there is a full-time staff of about 25 people. The staff is composed of enthusiastic professional naturalists, including Marion Ernst, the director of publications and public relations.

“What keeps me here is that working at the World Bird Sanctuary is more than a job,” Ernst said. “It’s a calling. It helps, and it makes a difference. It’s going to make a difference long after I’m gone.”

Others help out through the Adopt-A-Bird or Adopt-A-Mascot programs, in which an individual or a school supports a specific bird for one year. Several volunteers also make the task of taking care of more than 350 creatures a little easier.

Described by both staff and visitors as a hidden treasure of St. Louis, the World Bird Sanctuary is a great place to discover the educational, economic and environmental benefits of America’s second most popular outdoor hobby. No matter what age, visitors to the World Bird Sanctuary have a chance to experience and learn more about the wildlife around them.

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