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.
The canyon drew raptors for centuries, but scientific attention began in the 1970s when researchers documented its dense bird populations. Congress designated the area as a National Conservation Area in 1993, formally protecting what decades of study had shown to be one of North America's most important raptor habitats.
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.
The area hosts the world's largest concentration of Prairie Falcons, with over 700 breeding pairs of this species alone returning to the cliff walls each year. This singular status makes the conservation area globally important for protecting this particular raptor species.
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