There is a phrase I have been thinking about lately: the expert card. Not because I am interested in taking expertise away from anyone. In fact, quite the opposite. I think expertise matters. I think experience matters. People who have spent decades doing difficult work with...
[fusebox_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/avianbehavior/81_expert_card__2.0.m4a" ] 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...
Most of us are taught to think about behavior in a straight line. Something happens, the bird does something, a consequence follows. Antecedent, behavior, consequence. It is a useful starting point. But it is also where a lot of trainers get stuck. When a bird starts...
When we talk about raising a well-socialized ambassador owl, we are not starting with training plans or behaviors. We are starting with the bird. That choice shapes everything that follows. Different species of owls come with different habits, preferences, needs, and motivation levels. The goal of...
[fusebox_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/avianbehavior/80_LoMcGo_and_SiCo_.mp3" ] This episode is a conversation between friends Simone Lupson-Cook, Lauren McGough, PhD, and Hillary Hankey about what mentorship means to them, growth through falconry over the years, and how to navigate complex relationships. Set on a sunny outdoor deck while casually bird-watching and...
I was so fortunate to have two animal loving grandmothers growing up. While it was hard to match what some might have called an animal obsession, their support has carried me well into adulthood. My dad’s mother had polio at age 26, confining her to...
[fusebox_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/avianbehavior/79_Transition_Nwra__112k_1.mp3" ] 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...
This year, we were able to do something that fundamentally changes the trajectory of our work. In 2025, a single, transformative gift accelerated the Avian Behavior Conservancy’s research program by two full years—allowing us to establish a dedicated Conservation Biologist position far ahead of schedule. Today,...
Most people will never see a condor soaring over the Andes. Many will never stand on the cliffs of Big Sur and watch a California condor riding the ocean winds. Some will never even see the owl that quietly hunts over their neighborhood each night....
One of the core goals of ambassador training is deceptively simple: we want our owls to experience abnormal situations as normal parts of life. Over the years, we’ve learned that resilience doesn’t come from avoiding challenges—or from overwhelming birds with them. It comes from thoughtful exposure, timing, and...