What World Bird Sanctuary does

World Bird Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation, education, and conservation organization founded in 1977 by Walter C. Crawford Jr. and headquartered on 305 acres of Missouri hardwood forest in Valley Park, Missouri. Its core operating asset is the Kathryn G. Favre Foundation Raptor Hospital, which treats 700+ birds of prey annually and reports a 43% wild release rate — above the national average. The sanctuary maintains 200+ resident animals across 60+ species and partners internationally on species recovery, most notably through a 4+ year collaboration with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and a 2024 relocation of two Egyptian Vultures to VulPro in South Africa for breeding and reintroduction.

The organization operates a single-site visitor model complemented by digital channels. On-site revenue comes from $5/person and $40/bus admission, three membership tiers ($79 Individual, $99 Family, $199 Family Plus per year), paid experiences such as the $50 Exotic Raptor Encounter, five summer camp programs ($110–$235 per camper), birthday parties, and seasonal shows including Flying Bird Shows and Owl Prowl evenings. Funding is supplemented by donations and grants (Qgiv platform), a monthly Rescuer's Giving Club, planned giving/IRA QCD programs, the Fete du Feather annual gala, on-site and online retail (Fourthwall), and a symbolic Adopt-a-Bird program (Square). Customer segments span the general public and families (primary), schools and educational groups (school programs and field trips), conservation-minded donors, and event organizers. Geographic operations are concentrated in the Midwest US, with international reach limited to conservation partnerships rather than commercial activity. The organization employs 101–250 staff and is governed by a board of directors; no parent company or government funding is in place.

The technology and operational footprint is conventional nonprofit infrastructure: Square for membership/adoption commerce, Qgiv for donations, Peek for ticketing, Fourthwall for merchandise, Twitch for live-streaming, and Google Forms for program requests. A 12-week internship pipeline across four departments (Avian Avenue, Education, Lower Site, Raptor Rehabilitation) supports workforce development, and a volunteer program requires minimum age 16. The organization publishes financials via annual Form 990 filings.

Name

World Bird Sanctuary

Legal name

World Bird Sanctuary

Website

https://worldbirdsanctuary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

World Bird Sanctuary is a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation, education, and conservation organization on 305 acres in Valley Park, Missouri, treating 700+ raptors annually, offering visitor experiences and education programs, and partnering internationally on endangered species recovery for the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife rehabilitation services
• Raptor conservation programs
• Environmental education programs
• Avian sanctuary experiences
• Summer nature camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Valley Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Visitor Admissions: Entry fees for visitors to the sanctuary grounds and attractions. General admission is $5 per person and $40 per bus.
2. Memberships: Annual membership programs offering free admission, discounts on experiences, and exclusive member events. Individual memberships start at $79/year, Family at $99/year, and Family Plus at $199/year.
3. Donations and Grants: Charitable contributions from individuals and foundation grants such as the Avangrid Foundation $250,000 Wildlife Rehabilitation Program grant.
4. Education Programs: Revenue from school programs, summer camps, and educational experiences for children and adults.
5. Guest Experiences: Paid experiences including exotic raptor handling at $50 per person, guided tours, and birthday parties.
6. Retail and Adoption Programs: Revenue from on-site gift shop and symbolic bird adoption program where supporters can adopt resident birds for a year.
7. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts including IRA distributions, gifts of stock, and beneficiary designations from donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

World Bird Sanctuary rehabilitates injured birds of prey through its on-site Kathryn G. Favre Foundation Raptor Hospital, while operating an avian conservation breeding program for endangered species such as the Egyptian Vulture. It delivers environmental education through school programs, summer camps, internships, and a permanent visitor destination featuring walking trails, outdoor exhibits, flying bird shows, guided tours, and paid raptor encounters on its 305-acre Valley Park, Missouri campus.

Product overview

World Bird Sanctuary is a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation, education, and conservation organization operating a single-site sanctuary model. Its core offerings center on the Kathryn G. Favre Foundation Raptor Hospital (rehabilitating 700+ birds annually), combined with visitor-facing experiences (Flying Bird Shows, guided tours, exotic raptor encounters), education programs (school programs, summer camps), and membership/adoption programs. Supporting services include volunteer and internship programs, gift shop, Rescuer's Giving Club monthly donor program, planned giving options, and annual fundraising events like the Fete du Feather gala. The sanctuary also operates an online presence via Square for memberships/adoptions, Fourthwall for merchandise, Qgiv for donations, and Peek for ticket booking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kathryn G. Favre Foundation Raptor Hospital: On-site raptor hospital specializing in rehabilitating injured birds of prey, treating over 700 birds annually with a 43% wild release rate.

Products and services

• Raptor Hospital (Kathryn G. Favre Foundation Raptor Hospital) Wildlife rehabilitation facility providing medical care, surgery, and recovery for injured birds of prey, with the goal of returning them to the wild.
• Education Programs Structured environmental education programs such as Feathers & Scales, Raptor Basics, All About Eagles, Raptor Awareness, All About Owls, Legendary Creatures, and Fledge Wings, offered to schools and youth groups through on-site field trips and off-site outreach.
• Summer Camps Day camps for children ages 6-16, including Feathered Friends (ages 6-8), Totally Radical Raptors (ages 8-12), Wilderness Explorers (ages 8-12), Wildlife Champions (ages 8-12), and Junior Keepers (ages 13-16), held on the 305-acre sanctuary grounds.
• Internship Programs 12-week internship tracks offering hands-on training in animal care, husbandry, education delivery, and raptor rehabilitation, with four department-level specializations.
• Membership Program Annual membership tiers (Individual $79, Family $99, Family Plus $199) offering free admission, member discounts on guest experiences and the gift shop, and access to exclusive events.
• Adopt-a-Bird Program Symbolic adoption program that allows supporters to adopt a resident bird for one year, with adoption fees funding food and care for the animal.
• General Admission Per-person ($5) and per-bus ($40) entry to the 305-acre sanctuary, including access to walking trails, outdoor avian exhibits, and picnic areas.
• Guided Tours 60-minute expert-led tours of Avian Avenue, covering public aviaries and the stories and conservation backgrounds of resident birds.
• Exotic Raptor Encounter Up-close encounter experience where visitors handle a non-native raptor on a falconry glove, guided by expert keepers; available daily at 2pm for ages 13+ at $50 per person.
• Flying Bird Shows Seasonal flying demonstrations showcasing birds of prey in flight, included with general admission; feature different animals each day and run April through early September.
• Bird Banding Demonstrations Educational demonstrations explaining the science of bird banding and its role in monitoring species populations; held Fridays 8am-10am from June 6 through July 31.
• Rescuer's Giving Club Monthly recurring donation program offering exclusive content from the Director of Rehabilitation, insider avian patient updates, invitations to bird release events, and an exclusive bumper sticker.
• Sponsor a Patient Program Sponsorship program for the medical care of individual sick or injured raptors at the Raptor Hospital, covering intake through release, with an average treatment cost of $466 per bird.
• Fete du Feather Gala Annual fundraising gala featuring fine dining, up-close bird encounters, and a live auction, with proceeds supporting the sanctuary's conservation, education, and rehabilitation missions.
• Gift Shop On-site and online retail store selling bird-themed souvenirs and nature-inspired merchandise, with a 10% discount for members.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• VulProcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2024VulPro, based in South Africa, partnered with World Bird Sanctuary for a collaborative breeding program to preserve the endangered Egyptian Vulture. Two Egyptian Vultures were relocated from WBS to VulPro to join their breeding program with the goal of reintroducing the species into South Africa, where it has been declared extinct.
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2024Partnership for Egyptian Vulture conservation breeding program. World Bird Sanctuary has been working with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance for over four years to create a safeguard population of Egyptian Vultures in the United States, with offspring being relocated to South Africa for reintroduction.
• Missouri Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand partnership providing access to 305 acres of Missouri hardwood forest where World Bird Sanctuary is located. The sanctuary operates in partnership with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• VulPro: South African vulture conservation nonprofit and active WBS partner. Direct peer in raptor/vulture rehabilitation, captive breeding, and reintroduction program design.
• Lindsay Wildlife Experience: Wildlife rehabilitation hospital paired with public education programming and exhibits. Operates the same combination of veterinary wildlife care and visitor-facing experiences that defines WBS.
• Carolina Raptor Center: Nonprofit raptor rehabilitation and education center on a similar single-site model, treating injured raptors and operating visitor programming, education outreach, and ambassador bird programs.
• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Conservation-focused raptor sanctuary combining rehabilitation, education, and long-term raptor monitoring research. Comparable single-site nonprofit operating model with raptor conservation mission.
• Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS): Nonprofit nature center and raptor rehabilitation facility with paid visitor experiences, education programs, and school programming. Closely mirrors WBS's mix of hospital + education + visitor attraction.
• The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota: University-affiliated raptor rehabilitation, education, and research center treating hundreds of birds annually and offering public programming. Closest functional peer to WBS's Kathryn G. Favre Foundation Raptor Hospital model.

Broad incumbents

• National Audubon Society: National bird conservation nonprofit with vastly larger brand reach, donor base, and policy influence. Competes for bird-focused charitable dollars and corporate sponsorships across the U.S.
• American Bird Conservancy: National nonprofit focused on bird habitat conservation across the Americas. Overlaps with WBS on conservation mission and competes for foundation grants and major-donor support.
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Larger, multi-site conservation organization that is also an active WBS partner on the Egyptian Vulture program. Represents the scale benchmark and partnership tier for national/international raptor conservation.

Regional players

• St. Louis Zoo: Major regional nonprofit zoo in the same St. Louis metro market as WBS. Competes for family visitation, school field trips, and charitable giving in the same geographic catchment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubetwitch.tv/theworldbirdsanctuary
• Instagraminstagram.com/worldbirdsanctuary
• Xx.com/WBSSTL
• Facebookfacebook.com/WorldBirdSanctuary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about World Bird Sanctuary