It’s that time of year when people start making decisions about their next ambassador owl. Whether you’re raising a young bird or reassessing an existing one, the question always comes up: “Can this owl be trained?” I recently had a consult with a wildlife rehabber that zeroed...
A confident ambassador owl isn’t just calm on the glove. They’re responsive, adaptable, and capable of engaging in public programs without signs of chronic stress. But getting there takes more than just “good handling.” It requires an intentional, behavior-first approach—one rooted in ethology, positive reinforcement,...
If your bird was training consistently and suddenly stops engaging, you’re not alone. Motivation dips happen, but they’re never random. So, what’s going on, and how do you fix it? Let’s break it down. Why a Bird Isn’t Performing the Behavior We look at three basic categories of...
The focus of our Bird of Prey Workshops is to blend practical tips and philosophies that challenge traditional training methods. These workshops are kept small to allow abundant hands on training time as well as maximize the in-between moments, those critical conversations that happen between...
We're starting a new segment for our weekly newsletters called "Trainers Corner". We will be highlighting key lessons from my consultations. Learning through others' experiences is a powerful way to grow as a trainer or bird owner because it allows us to see different approaches to...
Welcome to our interactive deep dive on training a young Swainson's hawk at Avian Behavior International. This particular bird has quite an interesting backstory that shapes our approach to his training. He was found as a nestling covered in ants and ended up imprinting on...
As we gear up to celebrate International Vulture Awareness Day, it's the perfect time to explore how we at ABI foster our relationship with these fascinating birds through respectful and effective training methods. Vultures may often be portrayed as grim reapers in cultural myths, delighting in...
When we bring out our Saker falcon Halley for a lure flight for guests, she comes out with a hood that covers her eyes. Guests love to learn more about her hood and why she wears it. This brings us a great a opportunity to...
Over the years, my team and I have learned that while fly offs can be daunting, they also offer unparalleled opportunities for growth and learning in bird training. Fly offs happen for many different reasons, and it’s important to assess what you can and can’t...
There is a very well known debate in psychology as to whether nature or nurture informs our behavior. It turns out, this debate is common among animal behavior scientists as well. It turns out, both nature and nurture, or ethology and learning history, inform the...