Over the past year our two trainees Dolly and Jade were tasked to research and utilise training and enrichment methods for a selection of birds that would benefit from the interaction. Part of our program at the Sanctuary is to positively encourage behaviours that allow us to safely monitor the health and weights of the birds, to encourage natural behaviour and to motivate the birds to enter a box for safe transportation. With the more intelligent species we have at the centre such as the Caracaras, this becomes a part of their daily routine and enrichment program which both benefits us and them long term.
Fred, our Crested Caracara was initially quite nervous of people, but has grown in confidence with the help of our Trainees, and loves posing for a camera!
Throughout the year, Dolly and Jade have been encouraging Fred, a very nervous Crested Caracara who was very fearful of human interaction, to willingly weigh and box himself, and interact with members of the falconry team. Over time his confidence grew, thanks to the dutiful work our trainees put in, and the willingness of Fred to learn and work alongside us has now led us all to start working on a routine for him to fly free in the shows, and undertake many tasks that demonstrate his natural foraging behaviour. The target training also allows whoever is working with birds to introduce them to new things that otherwise would be scary or unusual to them, and station them at an area for visual health checks.
Head Falconer Rufus adds “Box training is really important for the birds that don’t or can’t wear telemetry. It is one of the measures we have put in place to help us retrieve a bird if it gets lost, a requirement of our zoo license. A lost or spooked bird is far more likely to go into a box it recognises as safe that is separate from us rather than come to the glove. This positive training giving freedom of choice to the birds, rather than forcing them into a box and slamming the door, is based on trust that has been built between bird and handler over time.”
Not only has this given our trainees an opportunity to practice and progress their training knowledge, it has given birds such as Fred a new and exciting routine, which long term, will positively benefit their health and wellbeing.
Trainee Jade said “It's hard to put our love for Fred and his achievements into words! Fred’s like an independent young man now! He will now conquer any enrichment and will soon experience the joy of free flying within the shows. The journey of his training has been very exciting and rewarding for us all.”
Trainee Dolly said “I’ve absolutely loved working with Fred this past year; seeing him come out of his shell and develop so much in confidence has been a massive highlight. He absolutely loves the attention now, has excelled at his training, and really engages in any enrichment we give him, which is a world away from who he was just a year ago. I’m very proud of us for achieving this, and am excited to see him in shows any day now!”