Idaho's Worldwide Falconry Connection

One of the Craighead brothers with falcons. Courtesy Archives of Falconry

BY MICAH DREW

In 2007, Idaho residents were awaiting the unveiling of the state quarter, with many expressing worry that Idaho’s commemorative coin would feature a potato. Instead, the design that would end up in the pockets and collections of Americans across the country featured the fierce head of a peregrine falcon, a looming presence keeping watch over an outline of Idaho.

To this day, the design may confuse those who do not understand Idaho’s deep connection to the raptor.

South of Boise the World Center for Birds of Prey houses the headquarters of the Peregrine Fund, a conservation nonprofit established in 1970 by scientists and raptor lovers concerned about the decline of the peregrine falcon, one of the most spectacular raptors in North America. The peregrine had completely disappeared from the eastern United States and western populations were in serious peril, but after a decades-long captive breeding program the peregrine was removed from the federal Endangered Species List in 1999, a feat attributed to the tireless work of conservationists and falconers, who are often one and the same.

An image from Traite de Fauconnerie, by Schlegel, Hermann / Verster van Wulverhorst, Abraham Henrik. Published by Leiden & Düsseldorf, Arnz & Co., 1844-1853

Courtesy of the Archives of Falconry

“Falconry involves a deeper connection not just to the raptors but to nature and it has disproportionately produced conservationists who have been successful around the world,” said John Goodell, Executive Director of the Peregrine Fund’s Archives of Falconry. “You know all the co-founders of the Peregrine Fund, they’re all falconers and they would all say that flying peregrines and other raptors really sparked not only the interest in their careers but actually motivated their dedication to the recovery of the bird. They kind of saw falconry as a noteworthy and unusual impetus to conservation action.”

“If you’ve been around the falconry world, you’ve seen them in the wild, flown them yourself, had them sitting in your house looking at you, hunted with them and spent 10,000 hours with them or more,” Goodell continued. “If they disappear from that nest site near your favorite lake, it’s a profound missing element that goes beyond science. It’s closer to the feeling you might have if you lost a family member.”

The Peregrine Fund remains one of the top raptor conservation organizations in the world, and its headquarters also serves as an educational center offering visitors close looks at live raptors as well as showcasing the history of conservation and falconry through its world-renowned Archives of Falconry. The Archives present a bridge connecting present day falconers and thousands of years of history that spans the globe, and emphasize the intertwinement of the sport and worldwide efforts to save birds.

Morley Nelson, pictured with a golden eagle, successfully lobbied Congress and established The Morley Nelson Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, covering nearly a half million square miles along 81 miles of the Snake River

Courtesy Archives of Falconry

Over three days in early April, nearly 200 falconers from around the word descended upon Boise to take part in the spring Rendezvous held by the Archives of Falconry at the World Center for Birds of Prey. The annual event, returning after a pandemic-hiatus, was a chance for practitioners of the ancient sport and conservationists to gather together to celebrate the culture of falconry. Over the long weekend, attendees heard presentations by the top raptor conservationists in the field, saw a rare screening of a documentary by John and Frank Craighead, “Life with an Indian Prince,” about falconry practices in 1940s India, and got a sneak peek at a newly renovated Sheikh Zayed Arab Heritage Wing of the Archives.

Across all exhibits, the Archives of Falconry includes 4,000 books and articles, 1,200 paintings, illustrations and sculptures, 2,240 falconry artifacts and nearly 600 archival documents and film from all parts of the globe.

Part of the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Arab Heritage Wing at the Archives of Falconry

Courtesy Munir Virani – MBZ Raptor Conservation Fund

“We’re striving to make the archives more accessible globally, certainly to the falconry community, but also to other interested folks,” Goodell said. “A big part of what we do is interpret falconry history and heritage, both ancient and contemporary and try to preserve kind of the physical evidence of falconry.”

Evidence of falconry goes back to 3500 or 4,000 B.C.E, an “ancient sport that’s about as ancient as our records of civilization that are etched in stone,” according to Goodell.

Examples of a hood used by falconers

Courtesy Archives of Falconry

The connection between historical evidence of falconry and modern falconry is clear, and in 2010 UNESCO added the sport of falconry to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Example of a hawking bag used by falconers

Courtesy Archives of Falconry

One of the most striking and immersive exhibit halls at the Archives is the Arab Heritage Wing. In 2007, the Archives received a generous gift from His Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, to construct a new wing in honor of his father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, former President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and an avid falconer.

The initial Arab Heritage Wing included a goat-hair hunting tent from Syria, interactive audio and video displays on the history of falconry and modern day recover efforts in the Middle East and a collection of historical materials dating back to the 1400s. The renovation, completed this spring, greatly expanded the exhibit space and is now open to the public.

Part of the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Arab Heritage Wing at the Archives of Falconry

Courtesy Munir Virani – MBZ Raptor Conservation Fund

“When you walk into the exhibit, suddenly you’re transported to the desert, and you can see falconry heritage unfold over thousands of years,” said Dr. Munir Virani, CEO of the Muhamed Bin Zayed (MBZ) Raptor Conservation Fund.

Falconers from the Arab world introduced falconry techniques and implements, such as the hood and lure, to Westerners, and Virani said that kind of interconnected global heritage is what ties falconers together in a way that no other sport or cultural movement does.

“If you think about people from multi-diverse communities coming together because of their birds, they don’t have to speak the same language,” Virani said. “Their connection through falconry is so powerful. Perhaps I don’t have the words to say it. It’s just magical.”

Frank and John Craighead with Indian prince K. S. Dharmakumarsinhji (Bapa)

Courtesy Archives of Falconry

Virani has worked with the Peregrine Fund since the early 1990s, and was previously the Global Director for Conservation Strategy and External Affairs. Over the decades he too has seen firsthand the importance of educating the public, particularly youths, about raptors and falconry. He estimates roughly 5,000 kids visit the World Center for Birds of Prey each year, but adds that because of space, hundreds of kids and school groups have been turned away because of the site’s popularity.

“These exhibits, this place, offers the opportunity for kids in Idaho to feel ownership of their state for having done something significant in saving a species. If even one child gets inspired by this, you’re looking at the next Sheikh Zayed or (Peregrine Fund founder) Tom Cade,” Virani said. “One of the greatest benefits of raptors in terms of educating people on why there’s a need to conserve them is that you can get up close to a bird and that’s very inspiring. You can’t carry a lioness on your back into a classroom and talk about it.”

Afshin Mofid, president of the Idaho Falconers Association says that local falconers are spoiled with the Birds of Prey Center and Archives so close.

“Any falconer in Idaho is so lucky to have these resources under our nose,” Mofid said. “I’m from Iran and there’s an Iranian book on falconry from the 1840s, and the only copy in the country is in the Archives — it’s a direct line to my heritage.”

In Idaho, there are roughly 150 licensed falconers, but only around 80 have birds according to Mofid. Present day falconry is one of the most regulated forms of hunting in the United States, and practitioners must apprentice themselves to a master falconer for year before obtaining their own licenses.

“Because of the space and public lands in Idaho, as well as the habitat and terrain in Southern Idaho, it’s always been a place for falconers to gravitate to,” said Idaho Falconers Association president Afshin Mofid. “In the last 10 years we’re really seen interest in falconry pick up.”

Idaho Falconers Association President Afshin Mofid

Courtesy Afshin Mofid

Back at the Archives, Goodell hopes for a continued expansion, including renovating the main display room and adding a new visitor center. During COVID staff began working to digitize as much of the collection as possible. In October the Archives launched a series of virtual exhibits online, and most of the collection is now searchable and accessible online. Goodell said there have been massive amounts of online traffic from falconers, journalists, researchers and artists around the world since the launch.

Currently there are virtual exhibits exploring a Life Magazine photographer who traveled to Assateague Island in 1952 to document the trapping of tundra falcons, an interactive timeline of falconry aroundthe world, the evolution of the hood and an exploration of current falconry organizations around the world.

A painting of Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Courtesy Munir Virani – MBZ Raptor Conservation Fund

One popular collection in the Archives is about falconry in India prior to, and during World War 2. In addition to the film, “Life With an Indian Prince”, the exhibit contains the Craighead brothers’ journals from observing the Raj princes’ falconry practices. There’s also a collection of more than 100 sketches and paintings created by Robert Widmeier who was stationed in India during the war and participated and documented the falconry practices. The exhibit can be seen in person and will soon have an online component.

“Falconry is literally gone in India now,” Goodell said. “There’s been a little resurgence in Pakistan since the partition, but it’s a great example of why we’re here, because it’s one of those threads of falconry through time that almost broke. What we have of that time is preserved here for people to look at.”

The Archives of Falconry at the World Center for Birds of Prey are located at 5668 W. Flying Hawk Ln in Boise, and can be visited Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.