63 episodes

If you are into animal behavior and positive reinforcement training, you're in the right spot. World renown animal behavior consultant, falconer, and educator Hillary Hankey dives deep with conversations and case studies on parrots, birds of prey as well as horses, dogs and all kinds of animals on topics of behavior as well as nutrition, ethology, and problem solving.

The Avian Behavior Podcast Hillary Hankey

    • Kids & Family
    • 4.8 • 36 Ratings

If you are into animal behavior and positive reinforcement training, you're in the right spot. World renown animal behavior consultant, falconer, and educator Hillary Hankey dives deep with conversations and case studies on parrots, birds of prey as well as horses, dogs and all kinds of animals on topics of behavior as well as nutrition, ethology, and problem solving.

    63 Owl Vocalizations and Behavior Karla Bloem of the International Owl Center

    63 Owl Vocalizations and Behavior Karla Bloem of the International Owl Center

    Karla Bloem, Executive Director of the International Owl Center in Houston, Minnesota, and Hillary have a fascinating conversation about owl vocalizations and Karla's journey with Great Horned Owl behavior. They discuss owl behavior observation influences, species differences, reinforcement strategies and all things owl. This conversation will fascinate any professional or amateur owl enthusiast.
    If you have yet to take one of our free challenges or just want awesome bird information, sign up for our newsletter.
    For more information on ABI's Advanced Animal Behavior Workshop, check out our few spots left here.
    For the International Owl Center Conference, you can get information here.
    Sign up for their awesome newsletter here.

    • 58 min
    62 Part 2 Are we friends with our birds and other deep questions

    62 Part 2 Are we friends with our birds and other deep questions

    Hillary answers more questions from a workshop regarding how to prepare a bird for a program, are we friends with our birds, how to know when you are doing more harm than good and much more. We get philosophical on this one!
     
     For more information on our upcoming Advanced Workshop in November 2023, check out this page for registration and details
    Welcome to the Avian Behavior Podcast, where we bring innovative approaches to progressive animal training and behavior, wildlife conservation, bird nutrition, and all things avian. We appreciate all of the supporters who have helped us fund our collaboration in South Africa with the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project coming up in August.
    You can still get your trouble-making hornbill merch and much more!
    You can make the most impact with a small donation to GoFundMe
    You can get your Hornbill swag here
    Caracara shirts are one of the most popular
    The full page is here.



     

    • 28 min
    61 Answering Questions About Relationships with Birds of Prey

    61 Answering Questions About Relationships with Birds of Prey

    Hillary answers questions from a workshop regarding do's and don'ts on building relationships with birds of prey, what to do about a kestrel that attacks the bait bag, weight managing owls, and more. For more information on our upcoming Advanced Workshop in November 2023, check out this page for registration and details
    Welcome to the Avian Behavior Podcast, where we bring innovative approaches to progressive animal training and behavior, wildlife conservation, bird nutrition, and all things avian. We appreciate all of the supporters who have helped us fund our collaboration in South Africa with the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project coming up in August.
    You can still get your trouble-making hornbill merch and much more!
    You can make the most impact with a small donation to GoFundMe
    You can get your Hornbill swag here
    Caracara shirts are one of the most popular
    The full page is here.

    • 26 min
    60 World Renown Aviculturist Dick Schroeder on Ground Hornbills

    60 World Renown Aviculturist Dick Schroeder on Ground Hornbills

    We sit down with good friend and well known aviculturist Dick Schroeder to talk about what we can learn about working with the Southern ground hornbill in a variety of different ways. Dick is a celebrated member of the avicultural community, he has raised numerous hornbill species, including over a dozen Southern Ground Hornbills (baby Kipling was his eighth!). He has boards seats, first time breeding awards, speakerships, and other accolades all over the world in aviculture. We talk about community and the importance of working together.
    This conversation kicks off our fundraising campaign for our efforts to work with the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project this coming August. Help us reach our $4000 goal and enhance the release and monitoring program.
    The website is https://avian-behavior.org/hornbill/
    Our Patreon is https://Patreon.com/avianbehavior.

    • 37 min
    Raising a Well-Socialized Owl

    Raising a Well-Socialized Owl

    Our two favorite subjects, owls and raising ambassadors. Owls are considered flagship species, which means that while they may not necessarily be directly endangered, they are species chosen to raise support for biodiversity conservation in a given place or social context. This means that due to their widespread appeal, they have the capacity to draw in an audience to more complex issues related to their ecosystems and less charismatic components. What this also means is that they can act as flagship individuals for education programs. We often say people come for the owls and stay for the vultures.
    But raising an owl for life as ambassador is challenging, even to be a glove bird. We want the bird's presence to reflect the care and expertise that the organization requires. In this episode we discuss what this looks like in the beginning stages and how the many mistakes we made led us to our mission of raising ambassadors over ten species of native and non-native owls.
    You can sign up for the Masterclass of How to Raise an Ambassador Owl
    and you can also find our exclusive, limited seats only 4 week live mentorship, Train with Me - Owl Ambassador Training and learn the ins and outs of this intricate and incredibly important process.
    Join us with a free 14 day trial in the Avian Behavior Lab with the code AVIAN
     

    • 42 min
    58 Are LIMA and the humane hierarchy still serving your bird training?

    58 Are LIMA and the humane hierarchy still serving your bird training?

    We are going to be talking about how LIMA (least intrusive, minimally aversive) and the humane hierarchy structure stopped serving me in my animal behavior progress, what got me there, and how I help my clients instead. We take a HUGE look at how it's not uncommon in science for us to wittingly or unwittingly select the results that we want to move our hypothesis along, and this can have enormous results in health, nutrition, and yes, animal behavior.
    To purchase the entire conference of AvOCET on demand: https://avianbehaviorlab.com/avocet-conference-recording/
    The full video is here 
    ► Having issues with your bird not stepping up on your glove or approaching you? Take the free 7 day fearful and aggressive Challenge https://avianbehaviorlab.com/fear-and-aggressive-behavior-challenge/
    ► Learn the Fundamentals Of Animal Training https://avian-behavior.org/39-2/
    ►Shop our Amazon Store for bird supplies https://bit.ly/3QWjjJR
    ► Join a community of passionate bird owners and learn from hundreds of hours of science and behavior based on demand courses and live trainings - FREE for 2 weeks! 
    Subscribe to Avian Behavior here: https://www.youtube.com/avianbehavior
     Our mission at Avian Behavior is to strengthen the connection between animals and the humans that care for them with the most progressive and positive reinforcement techniques.
    Sources
    Scientific Method 
    Monsanto study with Stanford University
    https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0518p38.shtml
    P hacking:
    Maintenance Phase School Lunches, P Hacking, and the Original "Pizzagate"
    Buzzfeed News article 

    • 1 hr 9 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
36 Ratings

36 Ratings

smyd123 ,

Life changing!

I appreciate this podcast so much. I am a companion parrot owner and have learned so much that truly makes my life and my parrots life better. Thank you, Hillary!

amzimme ,

Every Episode Is Gold

Everyone who works with or has a bird in their care should listen to this. Every episode has great information, practical and informative and up to date with the latest research in animal behavior and training. Listening to this has improved my relationship with my birds, my approach to training and behavior, as well as given me practical strategies to implement. My life and my birds lives are better. I look forward to every episode and am never disappointed.

The host has vast experience and knowledge. Thank you for sharing it!

Giraffeboy ,

Just catching up

I’m late to the party, but unsurprisingly, the ABI team have created a stellar podcast full of interesting information and helpful insight. I highly recommend!

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