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Next Workshop: November 12-15, 2025

Next Workshop:

November 12 – 15, 2025

Elevate Your Expertise

Dive deep into our Advanced Workshop, meticulously crafted to cater to a diverse range of taxa while empowering specialized trainers to fine-tune their skills on their focus species. Our unique yes/and approach encourages you not just to train but to embark on a journey, using the extended duration to see a long training project through. Immerse yourself in an abundance of hands-on training, exploring various stations with a wide array of species and behaviors.

Conquer Fear and Avoidance Challenges

Meet our skilled ambassadors and navigate the intricacies of fear and avoidance with birds at different training stages. Unlike simple dietary tweaks, we provide transparent, real-life problem-solving. No hero shots or hoop flying – just genuine insights to help you overcome challenges that trainers commonly face, each with its own unique topography and environmental setup. We are your guides, illuminating the pathway forward.

Master the Art of Goal Setting

Join us as we unravel the secrets of realistic goal setting and real-world expectations. From concrete benchmarks to foundational skills, our workshop equips you with the tools to tackle any training goal, no matter how ambitious. Whether you are working with a needy parrot or managing a team of avian ambassadors, we understand the imperfections in environmental conditions that can impede progress. Let’s set the pathway to your success.

Workshop Highlights

  • Species Diversity: Explore a wide variety of taxa and specialize in your focus species.
  • Fear and Avoidance Solutions: Tackle fear and avoidance issues with real-life problem-solving.
  • Goal Setting Mastery: Learn the art of setting benchmarks and foundational skills for success.

Workshop Topics

Palm cockatoo training

This immersive retreat offers a deep dive with at least three hours a day of hands-on guided practical training opportunities with ABC’s animals, training demonstrations, and some classroom time as well.

The advanced animal training workshop explores these topics across the course of the retreat:

The Constructional Approach and Non-linear Analysis
Troubleshooting Latency
Fear Responses
Non-food Reinforcers
Progressive Thoughts on Weight Management and Alternatives
Using Ethology in Reinforcement Systems
Eustress and Distress
Cost-benefit Analyses as a Trainer
Shaping and the Role of Errorless Learning

Who is this for?

This animal training workshop is animal keepers, owners, and trainers that have an understanding of operant conditioning and learning theory. It’s recommended that advanced workshop guests will have attended a workshop, conference, or online course before and want to continue their exploration of animal behavior and creative problem-solving. While we have a strong attendance in companion parrot owners, this course also fits well with industry professionals and other animal lovers excited about animal behavior.

free flight augur buzzard

What You Will Take Home

Saker Falcon falconry class

This animal training workshop and retreat is designed to take our guests to the next level of their relationship with the animals in their care. Coursework and practical application with ABC’s animals will allow attendees to practice and refine complex concepts across species and challenge them to look at their day-to-day interactions in a new way.  Utilizing various aspects of learning theory, including operant conditioning and natural behavior, students will come away with skills to create motivation and support appropriate behavior through environmental design and innovative animal husbandry practices.

Topics for Discussion

Palm cockatoo training

This immersive retreat offers a deep dive with at least three hours a day of hands-on guided practical training opportunities with ABC’s animals, training demonstrations, and some classroom time as well.

The advanced animal training workshop explores these topics across the course of the retreat:

The Constructional Approach and Non-linear Analysis
Troubleshooting Latency
Fear Responses
Non-food Reinforcers
Progressive Thoughts on Weight Management and Alternatives
Using Ethology in Reinforcement Systems
Eustress and Distress
Cost-benefit Analyses as a Trainer
Shaping and the Role of Errorless Learning

Who is this for?

free flight augur buzzard

This animal training workshop is animal keepers, owners, and trainers that have an understanding of operant conditioning and learning theory. It’s recommended that advanced workshop guests will have attended a workshop, conference, or online course before and want to continue their exploration of animal behavior and creative problem-solving. While we have a strong attendance in companion parrot owners, this course also fits well with industry professionals and other animal lovers excited about animal behavior.

What You Will Take Home

Saker Falcon falconry class

This animal training workshop and retreat is designed to take our guests to the next level of their relationship with the animals in their care. Coursework and practical application with ABC’s animals will allow attendees to practice and refine complex concepts across species and challenge them to look at their day-to-day interactions in a new way.  Utilizing various aspects of learning theory, including operant conditioning and natural behavior, students will come away with skills to create motivation and support appropriate behavior through environmental design and innovative animal husbandry practices.

Workshop Agenda

Day One

9:00 am – 4pm
Coffee/Tea and snacks, Lunch provided

 

Topics

The Constructional Approach and non-linear analysis
Multiple antecedents and consequences
The functional consequence
Training Groups, stations, and demonstrations

Day Two

9:00 am – 4pm
Coffee/Tea and snacks, Lunch provided

 

Topics

Trouble shooting latency, fear responses
Non food reinforcers
Progressive thoughts on Weight Management and alternatives
Training Groups, stations, and demonstrations

Day Three

9:00 am – 4pm
Coffee/Tea and snacks, Lunch provided

 

Topics

Using ethology in reinforcement systems
Eustress and distress
Cost-benefit analyses as a trainer
Training Groups, stations, and demonstrations

Day Four

9:00 am – 4pm

Coffee/Tea and snacks, Lunch provided
Brunch and Final Family Dinner

 

Topics

Shaping and the Role of Errorless Learning
Q&A Panel Session
Training Groups, stations, and demonstrations
Closing discussion

Day One

9:00 am – 4pm
Coffee/Tea and snacks, Lunch provided

Topics

The Constructional Approach and non-linear analysis
Multiple antecedents and consequences
The functional consequence
Training Groups, stations, and demonstrations

Day Two

9:00 am – 4pm
Coffee/Tea and snacks, Lunch provided

Topics

Trouble shooting latency, fear responses
Non food reinforcers
Progressive thoughts on Weight Management and alternatives
Training Groups, stations, and demonstrations

Day Three

9:00 am – 4pm
Coffee/Tea and snacks, Lunch provided

Topics

Using ethology in reinforcement systems
Eustress and distress
Cost-benefit analyses as a trainer
Training Groups, stations, and demonstrations

Day Four

9:00 am – 4pm

Coffee/Tea and snacks, Lunch provided
Brunch and Final Family Dinner

Topics

Shaping and the Role of Errorless Learning
Q&A Panel Session
Training Groups, stations, and demonstrations
Closing discussion

Are you ready to unlock the next level in animal behavior training? Join us at the Advanced Animal Behavior Training Workshop 2.0 – Where Mastery Meets Action!

Course Fee

Early Bird Pricing

$1550

Regular Pricing

$1650
Hawk casino 6
Hawk casino 6

Want to reserve your spot for the November 8-11, 2023 Advanced Workshop?

Click the button below to claim your spot in the workshop!

  • My experience with Hillary Hankey and her expert Avian Behavior International colleagues and amazing animals was inspiring. Although I have studied the application of behavior science to animal behavior and training in many hands-on work-shops, I highly recommend Hillary Hankey and Avian Behavior International where you can learn, regardless of your level of skill, in a highly supportive and enriching multi-species environment set in the stunningly beautiful hills of Escondido, California.

    Patricia K. Anderson, PhD, CPBC

  • I attended Avian Behavior International's Advanced Animal Training Workshop in the fall of 2021. The workshop helped me gain a deeper understanding of animal behavior and training overall as well as deeper insight into how to set up your animal (and yourself!) for success. The workshop was very well balanced with a combination of lectures and discussions paired with hands-on animal training. The variety of species available to work with and train with at ABI is amazing and really helps solidify what we learned in the classroom about how to approach different species based on their natural histories. All of the staff was extremely knowledgable, helpful and supportive during the workshop and made the atmosphere comfortable for learning no matter your skill level. Thanks ABI for a great workshop!

    Simone Cook

  • I was fortunate to attend a five-day workshop at Avian Behavior International earlier this year. The instructors were educated, compassionate and skilled animal professionals, and excellent educators. It was the perfect setting to work on/acquire new skills in a safe, supportive environment. It’s also a unique opportunity to work with a wide variety of bird species and hoofstock. I look forward to attending many more ABI workshops in the future!

    Jennifer Michelle Phillips, Canine Behavior Science

  • Prior to the ABI workshop I had no bird experience. Working with Hillary, her amazing guest trainers from around the country and amazing animals was a great experience. The content was easy to understand and we had tons of time to ask questions and join in on discussions about the covered topics. The training techniques can be used with all animals and has helped me train the many different animals on my ranch. Since the workshop I have also acquired two birds and have continued training with the techniques I learned there. I would highly recommend this workshop for anyone interested in building a solid foundation in bird training.

    Jason Duncan, Janda Exotics Animal Ranch

  • These were four days absolutely packed with educational opportunities, and a lot of fun. It was great to have this time to devote to learning new training skills and refining current ones. Hillary and all of her staff spared no effort to make this workshop more than I could have ever expected.

    Ryan Vinyard

Other Details

Accommodation is recommended either at the Best Western in Escondido or the Econo Lodge in Escondido we provide transportation to and from these two places only.

Lunches, beverages, and snacks are provided at the ranch.

Any changes to your workshop booking must be made before 2 weeks prior to the event start date. Refunds will not be issued within 14 days of the start of the event.