What to Do When a Bird of Prey Won’t Step Up
The Avian Behavior Podcast
What should you do when a bird of prey avoids the trainer, flushes during an approach, or will not step onto the glove? Where do you even start with a bird of prey? Before focusing on the step-up, take a closer look at the environment. Housing, perch placement, privacy, approach paths, and opportunities to move away can all affect whether a bird is able to learn and participate. In this lesson, I use the early training of an African Fish Eagle to explore: • How to assess a bird’s environment, temperament, and learning history • Why immobility is not always calm behavior • How...
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From our Owl Ambassador Masterclass: Health and Quarantine Considerations with Your New Owl
The Avian Behavior Podcast
This is an excerpt from our Masterclass on How to Raise an Ambassador Owl. We added this lesson after fielding many questions about quarantine procedures, and wanted to ensure that an ambassador owl would still have a viable start to their career in conservation education. Here we cover specific signs of illness, potential practices that can lead to stress, and what to do if your facility puts your new ambassador under strict quarantine protocols. For visuals, you can check out our . For the full Masterclass, check out For more classes in our subscription based online learning...
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81 The Expert Card
The Avian Behavior Podcast
What does it mean to be an expert, and what happens when expertise becomes a shield from scrutiny rather than a commitment to precision? In this episode, Hillary examines the role of authority, rhetoric, and responsibility in professional animal training spaces, especially as conference season brings new ideas, disagreements, and uncomfortable conversations to the surface. Prompted by recent concerns from trainers who felt confused or unsettled by remarks at a professional conference, this episode draws a careful line between scientific discourse and rhetorical labeling. Here we ask broader...
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80 Mentorship and Falconry with Simone Lupson-Cook and Lauren McGough
The Avian Behavior Podcast
. Guided courses, private forum, and live trainings with dozens of bird species. Free 14 day trial with the coupon code AVIAN.
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79 Transitioning from a traditional to choice based training paradigm
The Avian Behavior Podcast
Explore the transition from traditional to choice-based training for ambassador raptors with Hillary Hankey. This professional discussion is a presentation from the 2026 NWRA conference that looks into evolving welfare standards, the science of behavior, and the distinction between coercion and choice. Learn about the benefits of choice-based methods, including reduced stress and improved feather condition, and understand the strategic steps for successful implementation in avian programs. For a free 14 day trial of the use the code AVIAN
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78 Bridging the Gap: What Rehabbers Can Learn from Progressive Bird Training
The Avian Behavior Podcast
In this heartfelt and insight-packed episode, Hillary Hankey sits down with winter intern Levi Soucek, a wildlife rehabilitator, educator, and outreach coordinator at the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center. Levi reflects on her transformative 12-week internship at the Avian Behavior Ranch, sharing how hands-on progressive training experiences reshaped not only her approach to ambassador bird care—but also reignited her passion for the work. We explore: What it means to truly train with positive reinforcement (beyond the buzzwords) The power of choice-based training and offering degrees...
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77 Parrot Recall
The Avian Behavior Podcast
This is an excerpt from our live parrot recall training, focusing on the pitfalls of over-training and the importance of recall in various scenarios. We share examples of a black palm cockatoo named Jupiter, whose wings were rehabilitated using falconry techniques, and a 24-year-old cockatoo named Henry, who was initially clipped. Hillary emphasized the need for systematic and methodical training, avoiding forceful interactions, and using neutral or positive reinforcers. She highlighted the importance of generalizing recall to different environments and surfaces, and the potential issues of...
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76 Tips for Traveling with Parrots
The Avian Behavior Podcast
Traveling long distances with your parrot doesn't have to be stressful. We have moved cross country with our bird family many times. What happens if your bird hates the dark, like one of our palm cockatoos did? What about hotel stays or what supplies to bring while traveling with your parrot? What crate do you travel in? We have you covered with this guide, plus the bird food pumpkin pie story that Hillary's family still tells over 20 years later. Try out the Avian Behavior Lab with a free 14 day trial with the code AVIAN Check out our for more info
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75 Avoidance Behaviors and Weight Management in Birds of Prey
The Avian Behavior Podcast
Our Fall 2024 Bird of Prey Workshop focused on key topics such as managing fear and aggression in raptors using the constructional approach and non-coercive negative reinforcement and using progressive weight management techniques. Handling fear-based reactions, like those seen in a juvenile bald eagle, requires careful arrangement of the environment and building skills with your bird to have more reinforceable behaviors. The workshop also highlighted the importance of fitness and motivation over strict weight control, ensuring the bird's health and well-being remain a priority. Get on...
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74 Training your bird for transportation
The Avian Behavior Podcast
Training your bird for transportation isn't just an important part of education programming, it's a good life skill to have. For wildlife rehabilitation organizations, nature centers, and other small bird of prey centers, this is an essential skill that trainers rely on. For companion parrot people, this is an important behavior to trainer before it is needed in case of emergencies. This episode is an excerpt from our roadmap on Your Bird's First Education Program inside the Avian Behavior Lab. It's full of tactical advice on how to shape calm behavior for riding comfortably in a crate in a...
info_outlineTraveling long distances with your parrot doesn't have to be stressful. We have moved cross country with our bird family many times. What happens if your bird hates the dark, like one of our palm cockatoos did? What about hotel stays or what supplies to bring while traveling with your parrot? What crate do you travel in? We have you covered with this guide, plus the bird food pumpkin pie story that Hillary's family still tells over 20 years later.
Try out the Avian Behavior Lab with a free 14 day trial with the code AVIAN
Check out our YouTube Channel for more info