Open daily at 8:00am – 5:00pm
Entry to World Bird Sanctuary is $8 per car
(free with EBT/WIC card)
COVID-19 Protocols for Visiting World Bird Sanctuary
The CDC and St. Louis County Health Department no longer require masks for vaccinated individuals. Please note – at this time vaccination is only available for persons 12 years of age and older. Many of World Bird Sanctuary’s visitors are not of age to receive vaccination, so we strongly encourage everyone to continue wearing a mask at our facility. Read St. Louis County Statement Here
Please Also Note the Following COVID-19 Safety Protocols for our Site:
- Masks are strongly encouraged.
- Please keep a 6-foot distance from others onsite.
- Please closely follow the directions on all signs.
- On Avian Avenue (the main display line of birds), stay to the right of the white line to maintain one way traffic.
- Please wash hands thoroughly when using the restrooms, and leave the restrooms clean for others.
- Drinking fountains are CLOSED.
- The Nature Center is CLOSED.
Welcome to World Bird Sanctuary
World Bird Sanctuary bustles with activity on 305 acres of Missouri hardwood forest, featuring our public buildings, avian exhibits and five hiking trails. We partner with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for the use of our land, but otherwise operate as an independent non-profit organization.
Established in 1977, World Bird Sanctuary works to preserve and protect bird species around the world, while inspiring people to join us in our battle against the endangerment and extinction of species. As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with over two hundred non-releasable birds in our care, and more than five hundred birds receiving medical care in our rehabilitation hospital every year for release back into the wild, our mission becomes quite an expensive labor of love.
During our forty-one-year tenure, we have contributed to bringing the Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and American Barn Owl back from the brink of extinction by breeding those species at our sanctuary and releasing the matured young into the wild. We continue our conservation efforts to this day by working with endangered vultures, eagles, condors, owls and falcons. Meanwhile, our wildlife hospital has treated over 21,000 injured birds of prey and released over forty-three percent of those individuals back to the wild. Also, during this time, our education department has taught over one million people per year about the importance of birds of prey and their environment with our local and traveling education programming.
The birds in our care reside in the safest, state-of-the-art avian housing, receive the very best nutrition and veterinary care, and participate in educational programs for both their own enrichment and exercise, as well as for the education of our public. Our birds are treated as highly respected and valued members of our family, and their proper care is the first priority of every day at the sanctuary. Education birds receive proper time off from public life, they are trained with positive reinforcement techniques only, and if they do not wish to participate in programs, they are not forced to do so.
Our keepers and staff are well-trained leaders in their field. Our sanctuary is funded by donations from the public, and with earnings from our educational programs. We receive no local, county, state or federal funding. World Bird Sanctuary holds eleven federal (US Fish and Wildlife) and state (MO) permits and undergoes regular inspections of our facilities and operations by these entities.
World Bird Sanctuary has been the standard for raptor rehabilitation, conservation and education for over forty years.
Guest Experiences
Make your trip to World Bird Sanctuary even more memorable with one of our many Guest Experiences! There are lots of activities available to enhance your visit – get up close and personal with some of our animal ambassadors who can’t wait to meet you!
Guided Tours
Allow one of our experts Naturalists to take you on a tour of our facilities. Learn about the past inhabitants of our area and meet our current residents. Tours last approximately 60 minutes and are limited to a group of 30 individuals. For rates and reservations please call (636) 225-4390 ext. 1001 or email education@worldbirdsanctuary.org
WOW! A World of Wings
Friday through Monday at 11 am & 3 pm, Thursday at 6 pm • May 28th – Sept 6th
General Admission: $10 • Children under 13: $5 • Children under 5: Free Buy Tickets Here
The world is full of many amazing things, but at World Bird Sanctuary we are celebrating a World of Wings! Join us this summer to see hawks, eagles, owls, vultures and more! Flying, flapping, hopping, skipping, singing, our birds do it all. Come see all the cool things that birds do and learn all of the ways birds impact the world, from your daily life to entire ecosystems. You’ll see why birds are simply the best animals on the whole planet!
Books & Buddies
Alternating Mondays at 10 am
June 7th & 21st, July 5th & 19th, August 2nd & 16th, September 6th & 20th, October 4th & 18th
Admission is Free, $2 donation requested
Looking for some exciting outdoor learning for your little ones? Join us for a fun story time experience with Books & Buddies!
We’ll hang out outside and read a story together, and then you’ll meet one of our animal ambassadors!
Available Daily for Ages 13 and Up
- Each experience approximately 30 minutes.
- Tickets for Guest Experiences available for same-day purchase in our Raptique Gift Shop. Please call ahead to be sure your experience is available for same-day purchase (636) 431-1333.
- Tickets available for purchase online here dates and times are subject to availability. Please email education@worldbirdsanctuary.org before purchasing if you need a specific date.
- Guest Experiences are not guaranteed to be private, unless your group fills the maximum capacity of 15.
- World Bird Sanctuary reserves the right to cancel any Guest Experience due to unforeseen circumstances. In case of cancellation, every attempt will be made to reschedule, or refunds will be offered.
- Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your Guest Experience to give yourself time to purchase tickets and get to the Guest Experience location.
Parrot Party: daily at 10 am
WBS Member Price: $27 each • Non-Member Price: $30 each Buy Tickets here
This very special Guest Experience features “Waylon,” a blue-and-gold macaw who loves people and attention, and who can step up to your hand and entertain you with a lovable personality and a special ability to mimic certain words. Let one of our Naturalists guide you in this unforgettable experience! Handling available for ages 13+.
Emu Encounter: daily at 1 pm
WBS Member Price: $27 each • Non-Member Price: $30 each Buy Tickets Here
Come meet our emus up close and personal! Offer them food, feel their coarse feathers, and get some amazing pictures with the two best emus around; all while learning about the natural history of emus from one of our Naturalists. You will get to enter their enclosure with the Naturalist to guide you through this one of a kind experience. Children under the age of 13 will be able to enter the corral and interact with the emus through the fence.
Handle an Exotic Raptor: daily at 2 pm
WBS Member Price: $36 each • Non-Member Price: $40 each Buy Tickets Here
A very special opportunity, indeed – Let one of our Naturalists guide you on how to hold a non-native raptor! With a special falconry glove provided, one of our feathered ambassadors will step up to your hand, giving you a personal and up-close encounter with a talon-ted predator. Handling available for ages 13+
Paint with Sprinkles: daily upon request
WBS Member Price: $67 each • Non-Member Price: $75 each • $100 if booked the day of
Sprinkles the Emu is painting! Through positive reinforcement, he has been trained to paint with the help of another person. YOU can also paint with Sprinkles, and keep the one of a kind painting that you two make together! We treat the painting once it’s dry and ship it to you. After painting with Sprinkles, spend some quality time with the artist!
You pick 2 colors (additional colors for $5). Ages 5+ (5-12 year olds will need an adult’s assistance) Assisting adults & other non-painting participants will need to purchase Emu Encounter tickets to enter the enclosure, otherwise guests wait in the public viewing area. Sprinkles can only paint 1 painting per day, so booking in advance is recommended. Book by calling 636-225-4390.
Bird Banding Demonstrations
See you in Summer of 2021! • 8:00am – 11:00am at World Bird Sanctuary near the Gift Shop
Watch our field studies crew catch, band and release song birds on site as part of the World Bird Sanctuary Songbird Population Study! Join the World Bird Sanctuary Field Studies Team for a bird banding demonstration which includes: capturing birds in mist nets, extracting birds from nets, banding (placing an aluminum anklet with a unique ID number) and recording scientific data (height, weight, tail length, etc.). We start at 8:00am with setting up the mist nets and getting the banding station set up to measure, record data, band the birds captured. You may even get to release the bird back into the wild! All information collected helps songbirds nationwide as part of the World Bird Sanctuary Songbird Population Study and the MAPS National Program on Songbird Study.
Hiking Trails
Our trails range from easy to moderate, with the easy hikes being suitable for all ages. Hickory Trail starts at the far end of the exhibit line and is .2 mile long. Tunnel Trail trail head is located near the end of Hickory Trail and is .2 mile. Turtle Bob Trails starts near the Kathryn G. Favre Wildlife Hospital and is 1 mile long. The Chubb Trail, a horseback, bike and hiking trail, starts at the Chubb Trail parking lot, which is near the Lone Elk County Park entrance, and is 7 miles long one way. Water and snacks are available in our Raptique Gift Shop located in the Nature Center.
Map of World Bird Sanctuary
Picnic Pavilions
Pack a picnic breakfast, lunch or snack and enjoy it under one of our picnic shelters on Songbird Lane. We have surrounded the shelters with bird feeders, birdbaths and a butterfly garden, so you can enjoy the birds while you eat. You will also find nearby: McDonald’s, Steak ‘n Shake, Denny’s, Culvers, Bob Evans, Cracker Barrel, Krispy Kreme, Ruby Tuesdays, Taco Bell & Burger King.
Nature Center
(Currently closed due to Covid-19) The World Bird Sanctuary’s Nature Center houses a variety of birds, mammals and reptiles for visitors to view and learn about. These animals are on display daily and include a rotating group of parrots from around the world (including “Arizona” the Thick Billed Parrot – a critically endangered parrot which may possibly still inhabit the South West United States), “Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia”, our three-toed box turtle troop, and “Batty and Scar”, our Straw-colored Fruit Bats.
Access to the Nature Center is provided by a carefully designed path with hand railings and lighting. There is also a special needs access trail that is paved and equipped with handrails and lighting.
Raptique Gift Shop
Located at the Visitor’s Center and offers nature-themed apparel, books, jewelry, toys and much more. Snacks and beverages are also available.
Kathryn G. Favre Wildlife Hospital
The Kathryn G. Favre Wildlife Hospital is closed to the general public. Please call (636) 861-1392 or email rehab@worldbirdsanctuary.org to schedule your private tour today.
Free Sensory Tote Bag
For persons who are blind or visually impaired. Available for sign-out at Visitor’s Center.
NO pets allowed
Please abide by this rule for the safety of our birds. Please call prior to visiting for special assistance (636) 225-4390.
Beginning December 2020, World Bird Sanctuary will become a tobacco free environment.
The use of tobacco products and devices – including electronic – are prohibited on grounds, buildings, parking lots and trails.
Service Dogs
Service dogs are not allowed on World Bird Sanctuary grounds due to the fact they can be disruptive and cause undue stress to our animals. Please call prior to visiting for special assistance (636) 225-4390.
Q26. When might a service dog’s presence fundamentally alter the nature of a service or program provided to the public?
A. In most settings, the presence of a service animal will not result in a fundamental alteration. However, there are some exceptions. For example, at a boarding school, service animals could be restricted from a specific area of a dormitory reserved specifically for students with allergies to dog dander. At a zoo, service animals can be restricted from areas where the animals on display are the natural prey or natural predators of dogs, where the presence of a dog would be disruptive, causing the displayed animals to behave aggressively or become agitated. They cannot be restricted from other areas of the zoo.
Learn more
Nearby Attractions
What’s Nearby? Lone Elk County Park, Six Flags St. Louis, Hurricane Harbor, Endangered Wolf Center, and Chubb Trail.
