The Colville River Special Area is one of five unique regions designated by the Bureau of Land Management within the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPR-A). Internationally recognized for its extraordinary raptor populations, it hosts one of the highest densities of nesting birds of prey in the circumpolar Arctic — including the iconic Arctic Peregrine Falcon, Gyrfalcon, and Rough-legged Hawk.
In the summer of 2024, a team from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology set out on an expedition to explore and document this remote and rugged landscape and the birds of prey that depend on it to raise the next generation. This film captures their journey — revealing the wild beauty, ecological importance, and fragile splendor of one of Alaska’s most critical natural habitats.
The Cornell Lab Of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds.
Cornell Lab Of Ornithology
