Help Missoula’s Most Famous Bird Reach the World

Missoula’s most famous bird, Iris the Osprey, invites you to help bring her “live” to thousands of people worldwide. At 28 years old, she is one of the oldest known osprey. Even more amazing, Iris, who hadn’t raised a chick in six years, and her new mate, Finnegan, accomplished a miracle this year: They raised two chicks, who have been honored with sacred Salish names, Sum-eh and Antali.

We want to continue documenting the magical life of Iris’s family and sharing it with the world through our very popular “nest cam” in Hellgate Canyon. Unfortunately, the equipment used to capture this bird’s-eye view is woefully out of date.   

You can bring Iris to bird lovers around the globe by donating to support equipment and services such as:

• New camera gear for better visuals, new angles and enhanced study  

• Safe and efficient installation of new equipment at the nest  

• An infrared illuminator that will allow nighttime viewing without disturbing Iris  

• Further development of educational tools for students and professionals, and support for the general needs of the project  

Iris does much more than entertain and intrigue both scientists and bird lovers interested in her species. She is a striking and beloved symbol for our city and state and is used in many biology and wildlife studies classes. She is the star of newspaper articles, podcasts, documentaries and TV stories. Our gal even has her own coffee shop, the Iris Cafe, run by Missoula College’s Culinary program! With your help, Iris and the Osprey legacy can continue to touch generations of students and wildlife enthusiasts in the years to come.