Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, Nature reserve along Snake River Canyon, Idaho.

The Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area spans 485,000 acres of desert terrain with cliff walls rising up to 700 feet above the Snake River. These rock faces provide natural nesting sites as birds use the crevices and ledges carved into the canyon.

Human occupation of the Snake River area dates to 10,000 BC, and some of Idaho's oldest Native American archaeological sites lie within the NCA. Congress designated the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area on August 4, 1993, after two decades of research on prey habitat and hunting territory. Section 2301 of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 renamed it for Morley Nelson, a raptor expert and leading advocate of the original designation.

Petroglyphs in this area show human presence dating back thousands of years, and portions of the historic Oregon Trail run through the landscape. The place carries cultural weight as evidence of both ancient and more recent human journeys.

The area is open year-round, but watching nesting birds is best from March through June when pairs are actively breeding in the cliff walls. Multiple observation points like Dedication Point have informational signs and allow for easy viewing without special equipment.

More than 700 pairs of raptors across 15 species nest on the canyon walls, and the prairie falcon population is the densest known anywhere. The area also holds one of the world's densest badger populations, up to 11 animals per square mile, supported by the same burrowing prey the falcons hunt.