02 Sep Understanding and Training Vultures: A Comprehensive Approach
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 decay, but they are, in fact, incredibly essential to our ecosystems. In fact, not only are they the only obligate scavengers among all living vertebrates, but nature values the vulture so much that they have evolved separately a few different times. In fact, the vultures we have here in North America are not at related to those in Asia and Africa.
Their role as nature’s cleanup crew helps prevent the spread of disease and maintains ecological balance. Here at ABI, we house a couple of vultures with very different backgrounds—an imprinted turkey vulture with a complex past, a lesser yellow-headed vulture raised to be an ambassador, and a 30+ year old king vulture with some of her own baggage. Training these birds with a deep understanding of their natural history and behavior in the wild informs every aspect of our approach.
The Role of Vultures in the Ecosystem
Vultures are unique among birds of prey. They are obligate scavengers, which means they exclusively eat carrion and play a critical role in preventing diseases like rabies and anthrax from spreading. Observing their behavior in the wild provides insights into their complex social structures and communication, which are mostly non-vocal and rely heavily on body language.
Training Vultures in Human Care
Training vultures at ABI involves tailored programs that respect each bird’s individuality and their ethology. From basics like stationing and crating to more complex behaviors like flights and walking alongside trainers, our training is designed to ensure these birds can be successful ambassadors. This involves understanding the nuances of vulture behavior. Some of their natural reinforcers can in fact be competition.
Our training methods emphasize choice and respect, steering clear of the coercive strategies that were once common. By focusing on positive reinforcement and careful observation of each bird’s comfort and stress signals, we aim to build a program that not only suits their individual needs but also enriches their lives in human care.
Challenges and Solutions in Vulture Training
Vultures in human care can be grabby, often going after ankles or pulling at gloves as part of their natural history. Our focus isn’t stopping this behavior, per se. Instead, we expect it to happen so we train many other behaviors so that the grabbing at humans is unnecessary. The occasional glove swipe might occur, but by minimizing the reaction, the intensity downshifts. By training other skills like stationing on a stump or shifting to different areas during feeding, we mitigate these issues effectively. This not only helps manage the birds’ natural behaviors but also prevents these behaviors from becoming problematic.
Understanding what each behavior signifies and the best ways to respond is crucial. For instance, if a vulture exhibits signs of aggression, identifying the precursor behaviors allows us to adjust our training approach to avoid reinforcing these actions inadvertently.
Explore Vulture Conservation
Dive into the fascinating world of vultures with us at ABI. Every training session brings new insights and deepens our commitment to these remarkable birds, especially as we mark International Vulture Awareness Day.
We invite you to watch our Ambassador Vulture Course inside the Avian Behavior Lab to learn about their critical role in our ecosystems and discover how proper care and training can aid in their conservation. This course offers practical knowledge that can help you understand and contribute to the preservation of vultures, enhancing your skills in avian care along the way. You can join the Lab FREE for 2 weeks – use the code AVIAN at checkout!