History

The Background

The foundation of the reserve was laid near Lake Arresø in North Zealand in 1970. Frank Wenzel researched and trained falcons and eagles that he had brought to Denmark during his many travels as a photographer for Dansk Kulturfilm and the publishing house Munksgaard. At that time, Frank Wenzel had already distinguished himself as one of the very first people to successfully breed birds of prey in human care — something he was able to document through his background as a photographer.

Even then, he was considered one of Denmark’s leading specialists in birds of prey and gave lectures at the University of Copenhagen about his book The Honey Buzzard, specially invited by Ragnar Spärck. In addition, Frank produced one of the very first wildlife films for Danish television, which also focused on the honey buzzard.

The Beginning of the Reserve

In 1976, the Wenzel family moved from Arresø in North Zealand to Northern Jutland near Skagen, where the first steps toward establishing the Eagle Reserve were taken.

The area near the sea, the dunes, and the magnificent surrounding landscape proved to be the ideal setting for the family’s mission: to create awareness, knowledge, and understanding of birds of prey and their importance in nature. Initially, the reserve functioned as a trial project, but in 1980 the site was permanently established, and the Eagle Reserve officially came into existence.

Frank wanted a place where birds of prey could enjoy more freedom and space. To achieve this, he consulted some of the world’s leading ornithologists and falconers, and together they found a suitable location for the Eagle Reserve near Skagen, with its vast open landscapes, forests, and coastline. The mission was to create a center for research into birds of prey — a place dedicated to education, protection, and above all, respect for these magnificent birds. Originally, the Eagle Reserve was not intended to be open to the public.

The reserve initially focused primarily on Nordic species of eagles and falcons. In addition, Frank had rescued several Imperial Eagles from Macedonia. At the time the reserve was founded, birds of prey were generally not treated with much respect and were often shot or kept in captivity in their respective home countries.

The Public Arrives

Surprisingly, many people became interested in the reserve. Since Frank wanted to share his experiences and knowledge, the reserve eventually opened to visitors at scheduled times, naturally adapted to the birds’ daily rhythms.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was initially just 10–15 people who informally stopped by the reserve. As word spread, however, visitor numbers grew dramatically, with up to 2,000 guests in a single day.

Visitors were — and still are — welcomed entirely on the birds’ terms. For this reason, the public area is limited, while the birds’ area remains unrestricted. The birds of prey are free to choose whether or not to engage with the audience, which is quite the opposite of traditional zoos. Naturally, this places greater demands on the staff’s professional expertise and on the trust between humans and animals.

The Reserve Expands

In 2005, the Eagle Reserve expanded to include eagle species from every continent where eagles are found. The reserve was in need of renewal, and Frank wanted to offer returning guests new knowledge and new experiences.

However, Frank strongly emphasizes that the intention was never to create a catalogue of birds of prey. The expansion coincided with the opportunity to receive and care for several foreign eagle species that were ready to be relocated to the Eagle Reserve. As a result, visitors can now admire eagle species from America, Siberia, China, Central Asia, and Africa.

In 2005, the Eagle Reserve also built seating stands for visitors, ensuring everyone the same excellent view of the falcons and eagles that are called down to the audience during demonstrations by a falconer — birds that voluntarily allow themselves to be admired.

50 Years of Respectful Coexistence

In 2026, the Eagle Reserve celebrates its 50th anniversary and can look back on decades of dedicated work educating the public about the immense cultural, historical, physical, and natural significance of birds of prey.

Frank has studied and lived alongside birds of prey both in the wild and at the Eagle Reserve for a lifetime, and he is regarded as one of the foremost experts on the widest range of raptor species. He has shared this extensive knowledge through the Eagle Reserve, his books, and through photographs and films during a career spanning more than 70 years.

Today, Denmark is among the countries in the world with the greatest knowledge of, respect for, and interest in birds of prey. There is therefore truly much to celebrate for both Frank and the Eagle Reserve during this anniversary year.