Operant Conditioning

Atlanta 2017:
Where Talent Meets Inspiration
Welcome to Atlanta
Sponsors
Going Green in Atlanta
Things to do in Atlanta
Conference Committee Members
IAATE Board
Your Zoo Atlanta Hosts
General Conference Information
Conference Schedule
Pre-Conference Information
Ice Breaker
Evening Workshops- FULL
Zoo Workshops - FULL
Zoo Day Schedule
Zoo Day Map
The Banquet
Paper Abstracts and Presenter Bios
Poster Abstracts and Presenter Bios
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Welcome to Atlanta, GA!
We are so excited to have the opportunity to host the IAATE annual
conference, where the bird training community comes together to show off
what we’ve been up to over the past year. We can’t wait to see what the
week has in store as we share our talent and inspire one another to do even
better for our birds and audiences!
To quote Maya Angelou, “When we know better, we do better!!”
If you’re landing in Atlanta for a pre-conference activity you’ll have a blast
and learn a lot, whether you’re in Steve Martin’s Training Workshop or
spending the day downtown exploring the Georgia Aquarium, World of
Coke, and other local attractions.
We hope everyone can make it to the Icebreaker. We’ll be treated to a
spectacular performance by some of Zoo Atlanta’s Improvisers and their
troop. You’ll get to your try your hand at some improv games. Throughout
the icebreaker we’ll be drawing raffle tickets for some great behind-thescenes tour opportunities that can be used during Zoo Day, so bring some
cash to support conservation!
Be sure to catch all the presentations and posters, keynote speaker, and do
some informal learning in the hospitality suite each evening. Those of you
signed up for our workshops on Thursday evening, Friday morning, or Friday
evening are in for even more wonderful learning opportunities and of
course we hope to see everyone at the Banquet on Saturday night where
we’ll learn who wins the High Flyer award as well as the Behavior of the Year
awards, and where we’re conferencing in 2018!
Thanks for Joining Us!
-The Birds and Program Animals Team at Zoo Atlanta
2017 Conference Sponsors
Eagle Conservator: $1000+
Falcon Friend: $500+
Owl Enthusiast: $250+
Critter Companions by Kenny Coogan
Dolphin Research Center Training Institute
Coughlan Companies
Parrot Pal: $100+
WITHit
Teacher Institute of Evolutionary Science
Desert Plastics
Going GREEN in ATLANTA
Paperless (well…paper reduced)
Reduce your Carbon Footprint:
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No printed Programs!
No feedback cards! Look for a survey to
come your way so we can get your
electronic feedback after the conference
We encourage you to take notes on your
phone or computer
Take photos of posters rather than
grabbing a flier
Use a re-usable coffee cup if you’ve
brought one!
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If leaving the hotel, see if you can fill the
shuttle before you leave or share cabs/ubers.
Hang your towels up after you use them.
Hotels take that as clear communication that
you’re happy to use it again.
Hang your ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door
and housekeeping won’t replace your sheets
OR your towels.
Just like at home, turn off the lights and TV
when you leave the room.
Recycle bottles and cans from the hospitality
suite.
If you didn’t bring your own, take any
partially used hotel toiletries and re-use or
recycle the bottles, once they are empty.
Eating GREEN in ATLANTA
There are GREAT local eateries that buy locally sourced meats and produce then turn them
into deliciousness. There are also a TON of vegetarian and vegan options around town.
If you’re looking for some great green food within shuttle distance of the hotel try:
Gun Show
Shed
A little farther out you can find:
Serpas True Food
Radial
One Eared Stag
General ATLANTA Information
The FREE Ramada shuttle can get you to:
FOOD
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Mi Barrio – Traditional Mexican
Krog Street Market – Food Hall
Ria’s Bluebird – Brunch
Daddy Dz – Great BBQ
Fox Brother’s BBQ (3mi away) – ATL’s BEST BBQ
The Flying Biscuit
BARS
Hipster?
• East Atlanta – visit the EARL or if its after 11pm try 529
Chill, but not a hipster?
• Glenwood – Vickery’s
• East Atlanta – Midway or Argosy (Both have a HUGE beer list)
Want Loud?
• East Atlanta – the Graveyard
Classy?
• Downtown- The Bar at the Sundial
IMPROV
• The Village Theater
HISTORY
• Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site – free but daytime hours only
Thursday Night is a great night to head to the Argosy in East Atlanta
Uber’s are about $10 and fares can be split
Cool places outside shuttle range:
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Ponce City Market: Food hall. HUGE. Mini golf and other fun stuff on the roof for extra $
Leon’s: Make’s their own sausage – good charcuterie
Wats Crackin’: Garlic crab and shrimp. Delicious and cheap (so there’s a wait) and no seating
10 High: Live Band Karaoke Thurs-Sat at 10:30pm
The Porter: HUGE beer list. Lots of bottles of weird things
Clermont Lounge: It’s an Atlanta staple but don’t go there unless you know what you’re getting
yourself into
Opera Night Club: It’s a club.
Midtown Arts: Movie Theater with artsy/indy movies
Atlantic Station: Outdoor mall with movie theater that plays regular movies
The Center for Puppetry Arts: No really, it’s pretty neat!
The High Museum
Your Conference Committee
Helen Dishaw
Cassie Malina
Rebecca Bearman
James Ballance
Christina Lavallee
Lyndsay Newton
Christine Talleda
Kit Lacy
Steven Martin
Dave Miller
Catherine Vine
Miguel Santos
Your IAATE Board
Robin Shewokis
President
Helen Dishaw
Vice President
Miguel Santos
Past President
Erin Kaztner
Melinda Mendolusky
Cassie Malina
President-Elect
Secretary
Chief Financial Officer
Steve Martin
Board Member
Kit Lacy
Board Member
Dave Miller
Board Member
Arianna Bailey
Board Member
Mike Billington
Board Member
Your
Zoo Atlanta
Hosts
Rebecca Bearman
Assistant Curator
Birds and Program Animals
Christina Lavallee
Lead Keeper
Program Animals
James Ballance
Curator
Birds and Program Animals
Emily Bobal
Keeper I
Program Animals
Lyndsay Newton
Keeper III
Program Animals
Deidre Ousterhout
Keeper II
Program Animals
Justin Eckelberry
Keeper II
Program Animals
Christine Tallleda
Lead Keeper
Birds
General Conference Information
Name Badge Symbols
Hotel Info
Ramada Plaza Atlanta Capitol
Park
450 Capitol Avenue, Atlanta, GA
30312
1-404-591-2000
Free continental breakfast.
Free WiFi in guest rooms and
meeting space.
Free hotel shuttle within 3-miles
of hotel.
Registration Table
Hotel Lobby
Tuesday, Feb 21 - 2:00pm-6:00pm
Wednesday, Feb 22 - 8:00am5:00pm
Piedmont Ballroom
Thursday, Feb 23 – 8:00a-5:00p
Saturday, Feb 25 – 8:00a-5:00p
Full Day Course for Bird Trainers and Show Presenters
Georgia Aquarium Trip
Ice Breaker
Educating the Flock- THURS
Engaging Enrichment - THURS
Personal Passion and the Perfect Presentation - THURS
Perching for Health and Welfare
Raptor Care
Educating the Flock- FRI
Engaging Enrichment - FRI
Personal Passion and the Perfect Presentation - FRI
Hospitality Suite
Located in the hotel in Spring & Monroe, this is a great place to unwind after a long day. Catch up with old
friends and make some new ones! Meal items will be available for purchase during lunch/Dinner times. Posters
will be on display here too!
Hours:
Wednesday, Feb 22 – 10pm-2am
Thursday, Feb 23 – Noon-2pm, 5:00-6:30pm, and 7pm-2am
Friday, Feb 24 – 5:00-6:30pm and 7pm-2am
Saturday,
Feb 25 – Noon-1:30pm and 10pm-2am
We’re hoping to make 2017 a great year
for fund raising! There will be raffles during
the Icebreaker for BTS tours during Zoo
Attention CPBT-KA! Earn CEU's
Day, like feeding a Panda or Aldabra
Credits available are as follows:
Tortoise! Throughout the conference you
IAATE Annual Conference – 10.5 CEUs
can buy tickets for our General and
Workshops:
Conservation raffles – proceeds of which go
to fund our education and conservation
Full Day Course for Bird Trainers and Show Presenters - 8 CEUs
grants! If you’ve brought anything to
Educating the Flock – 3 CEUs
donate to the raffle please drop off your
Engaging Enrichment – 3 CEUs
items at the registration table.
Personal Passion and the Perfect Presentation – 2 CEUs
Perching for Health and Welfare– 2 CEUs
Raptor Care – 2 CEUs
You will need to provide signed proof of attendance to IATCB to get these credits. Workshop leaders will
have forms at any of the workshops you attend, and can sign them for you. Our Vice President can sign any
general conference forms, available at the registration table.
Raffle
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Tue 2/21
6:30a-11:00a
8:00a-5:00p
2:00p-6:00p
Complimentary Continental Breakfast
Board Meeting
Registration
Rockfish Grille
Courtland
Hotel Lobby
Complimentary Continental Breakfast
Registration
PRE-CONF WORKSHOP: A Comprehensive Course for Bird
Trainers and Show Presenters
Steve Martin CPBT-KA, Natural Encounters, Inc.
Meet in hotel lobby for Pre-trip
Buses leave at 10:00am
PRE-CONF TRIP: Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke
LUNCH BREAK (for workshop attendees)
Meet for pick-up at intersection of Luckie St and Baker St
Use Ramada’s free shuttle service for pickup earlier or
later
Icebreaker at hotel
Hospitality Suite Open
Rockfish Grille
Hotel Lobby
6:30a-11:00a
8:00a-5:00p
8:30a-5:00p
8:30a-8:40a
Complimentary Continental Breakfast
Registration
PRESENTATIONS
Welcome: Robin Shewokis, IAATE President
Rockfish Grille
Piedmont Ballroom
Piedmont Ballroom
8:40a-8:50a
Schedule Review: Helen Dishaw, IAATE VP
Wed 2/22
6:30a-11:00a
8:00a-5:00p
8:00a-5:00p
9:45a
10:00a-4:00p
12:00p-2:00p
4:00p
6:00p-10:00p
10:00p-2:00a
Spring & Monroe
Hotel Lobby
Piedmont Ballroom
Spring & Monroe
Thurs 2/23
8:50a-9:00a
9:00a-10:00a
10:00a-10:15a
10:15a-10:30a
10:30a-11:00a
11:00a-11:30a
Facility Head Address:
Jennifer Mickelberg, PhD, Senior Director of Collections
and Conservation, Zoo Atlanta
KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
Chris Parrish, The Peregrine Fund
BREAK
IAATE History and 25th Anniversary – Steve Martin, NEI
Antecedent Arrangements: A Trainer’s Best Friend
Matt Edmonds, Wonders of Nature
The Evolution of Control for our Striated Caracara
Nicky Plaskitt, CPBT-KA, Paradise Wildlife Park
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
11:30a-12:00p
12:00p-2:00p
12:00p-2:00p
12:30p-1:30p
2:00p-3:00p
3:15p-3:30p
3:30p-4:00p
4:00p-4:30p
4:30p-5:00p
5:00p-6:30p
6:30p-8:30p
6:30p-9:30p
6:30p-9:30p
7:00p-2:00a
Selection Process for Non-Releasable Birds:
The First Step in Bird Welfare
Kit Lacy, Education Director - Cascades Raptor Center
LUNCH BREAK
Hospitality Suite Open
POSTER VIEWING Q&A
Captive Management Issues Involving Birds of Prey
David Scott, DVM. Staff veterinarian, Carolina Raptor Center,
Charlotte, NC
BREAK
The Importance of Relationships
Justin Eckelberry, Birds and Program Animals Keeper II, Zoo
Atlanta
The Peruvian Amazon: My Personal Journey into the Rainforest
and the National Aviary’s Deep Connection with my Experience
Kelly Pollard, National Aviary
The Art and Creation of Interactive Experiences in a Free-Flight
Aviary: Let’s Do This Together!
Dave Miller, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
DINNER BREAK
Workshop 1: Personal Passion and the Perfect Presentation
Chris Jenkins CPBT-KA, Natural Encounters, Inc.
Workshop 2: Educating the Flock
Mike Billington CPBT-KA, and Kenny Coogan CPBT-KA
Workshop 3: Engaging Enrichment
Robin Shewokis, and Dave Miller, Disney’s Animal KIngdom
Hospitality Suite Open
Spring & Monroe
Spring & Monroe
Ponce I
Ponce II
Ponce III
Spring & Monroe
Fri 2/24
6:30a-11:00a
Complimentary Continental Breakfast
Meet for Zoo Day
Buses leave at 8:45a
ZOO DAY
Rockfish Grille
9:15a-9:30a
Meet for Group Photo
See Zoo Day Schedule for BTS and Bird Show times
World of Wild
Theater
9:30a-11:30a
Workshop 1: Raptor Care : Restraint and Basic Coping Skills
Rebecca Bearman, Zoo Atlanta, Cassie Malina CPBT-KA,
Natural Encounters, Inc., Kathryn Dudeck, Chattahoochee
Nature Center
Techlab – Zoo
Atlanta
8:30a-8:45a
9:00a-5:00p
Hotel Lobby
Zoo Atlanta
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
9:30a-11:30a
12:00p-1:30p
4:30p-5:30p
5:00p-6:30p
Workshop 2: Perching for Health and Welfare
James Balance and Andy Clement, Zoo Atlanta
OPEN BOARD MEETING
Lunch provided by Zoo Atlanta
Meet for bus back to hotel - Last bus leaves at 5:30p
Utilize Free Ramada Shuttle to leave earlier
DINNER BREAK
Ford Conference
Room – Zoo Atlanta
Ford Conference
Room – Zoo Atlanta
Circle Drive – Zoo
Atlanta
6:30p-8:30p
Workshop 1: Personal Passion and the Perfect Presentation
Chris Jenkins CPBT-KA, Natural Encounters, Inc.
Ponce I
6:30p-9:30p
Workshop 2: Educating the Flock
Mike Billington CPBT-KA, and Kenny Coogan CPBT-KA
Ponce II
6:30p-9:30p
Workshop 3: Engaging Enrichment
Robin Shewokis and Dave Miller, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Ponce III
7:00p-2:00a
Hospitality Suite Open
Spring & Monroe
8:00a-5:00p
Registration
Piedmont Ballroom
6:30a-11:00a
Complimentary Continental Breakfast
Rockfish Grille
8:30a-4:30p
PRESENTATIONS
Piedmont Ballroom
8:30a-8:35a
Announcements: Helen Dishaw, IAATE VP
I now know better…
Gareth Morgan, African Lion Safari
Sat 2/25
8:30a-9:00a
9:00a-9:30a
9:30a-10:00a
10:15a-10:30a
10:30a-11:00a
11:00a-11:30a
Retirement: When Is it Time and What Does it Look Like?
Rebecca Bearman, Assistant Curator of Birds and Program
Animals, Zoo Atlanta
The Raven That Wouldn’t
Seth Wagner and Susan Burchardt, Woodland Park Zoo
BREAK
How Are We Doing?: Assessing the Effectiveness of Vulture
Education
Meghan Sparkman, Bird Staff/Educator at the Center for
Birds of Prey/Avian Conservation Center
Assessing Enrichment in the Busy Bird Show Season
Lyndsay Newton, Birds and Program Animals Keeper III, Zoo
Atlanta
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Shifting Paradigms; How to Begin Establishing Choice for
11:30a-12:00p Avian Ambassadors
Leia Minch, American Bald Eagle Foundation
12:00p-1:30p LUNCH BREAK
12:00p-1:30p
Hospitality Suite Open
1:30p-2:00p
Project P.E.P.E. (Preparing entertaining Peafowl education)
Joseph Parson, Animal Keeper, Cape May County Park & Zoo
2:00p-2:30p
The IDEA Program: Interactive Display and Education Animals
Jason Crean, MS, EdD
2:45p-3:00p
BREAK
3:00p-3:30p
Going Beyond Intern Training: Training to Train
Christina Lavallee, Lead Keeper, Birds and Program Animals,
Zoo Atlanta
3:30p-4:00p
Anthropomorphism and its Impact on Training
Jon Spero, African Lion Safari
4:00p-4:30p
6:30p-10:00p
6:30p-7:30p
7:30p-8:30p
Aim At The Target But Focus On The Process
Steve Martin CPBT-KA, Natural Encounters, Inc.
BANQUET
Pre-Dinner Cocktails
Last chance Conservation Raffle ticket purchase opportunity.
Dinner
8:30p-10:00p
Photo Contest Slide Show and Winners
Kim Caldwell, Photo Contest Judge
Enrichment Contest Winner Announcement
Robin Shewokis, Enrichment Committee Chair
High Flyer & Best Poster Awards
Helen Dishaw, Vice President
Behavior of the Year Award and Interpretive Award
Kit Lacy, Awards Committee Chair
Service/Board Member Awards
Robin Shewokis, IAATE President
Grants Announcements: Mike Billington, Education Committee
Chair and Erin Katzner, Conservation Committee Chair
Conservation Raffle
2018 Conference Promotion
10:00p-2:00a
Hospitality Suite Open
Spring & Monroe
Piedmont Ballroom
Spring & Monroe
Pre-Conference Workshop
WEDNESDAY, Feb 22
A Comprehensive Course for Bird Trainers and Show Presenters
Steve Martin CPBT-KA, Natural Encounters, Inc.
Full-day Training Workshop
8am-5pm
Ramada Plaza Location: Spring & Monroe
$50 cost goes to IAATE conservation Fund
This workshop, presented by Steve Martin CPBT-KA, Past President of IAATE and President of Natural
Encounters, Inc., is designed for all levels of training experience and includes the most contemporary
information on the technology and scientific principles associated with training birds and other animals. Also
included is empowering information on producing and presenting effective educational programs. Attendees
may submit videos of their shows for evaluation during the workshop. The full-day course includes the
following and more:
Operant Learning Principles
 Understanding Reinforcement and
Punishment
 Effective reinforcement strategies
 Schedules, rates, and value of
reinforcement
 Alternatives to punishment
Clear, Honest, Communication
 Prompts, cues, and bridging stimuli
 Problems with baiting
 Effective bridging strategies
Motivation
 Antecedent strategies to increase motivation
 Choice and control – empowering animals to
maximize motivation
 LRS and behavioral momentum
 Weight and food management
Building Trusting Relationships with Animals
Creating High Performing Teams
Show Production and Presentation
 Message delivery
 Show structure
 Ethics – animal welfare, mixed messages
 Dealing with mistakes
Note: guides and certificates of completion will be provided for all attendees. This
course is an outstanding preparation for the IATCB certification exam.
Note: For CPBT-KA - CEU’s will be available for attendance at this workshop
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Attendees must pre-register for activities
Costs are not included in full registration cost
This Workshop is Full
Pre-Conference Workshop
WEDNESAY, Feb 22
A Comprehensive Course for Bird Trainers and Show Presenters
Steve Martin CPBT-KA, Natural Encounters, Inc.
Steve Martin began his professional animal training career when he set up the first of its
kind, free-flight bird show at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in 1976. The show became
known for its unique ability to combine the entertainment of birds performing natural
behaviors with inspirational conservation messages. He has now served as an animal
behavior and visitor experience consultant for many zoological facilities in more than 20
countries. Steve spends about 200 days each year consulting, lecturing, and conducting
animal training workshops. Steve is an instructor at the AZA Animal Training School, a
member of the AZA Animal Welfare Committee, and a Trustee with the World Parrot Trust.
He is also President of Natural Encounters, Inc., a company of over 50 professional animal
trainers that provide a wide variety of animal behavior and educational services to the
zoological world.
Pre-Conference Trip
WEDNESAY, Feb 22
Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke
10am-4pm
Included with this pre-conference trip is admission to the Georgia Aquarium and the World of CocaCola. Lunch vouchers will be provided by the Georgia Aquarium and BTS tours will be led by their
birds and mammals teams!
PICK UP
LOCATION:
Intersection of
Luckie and
Baker St.
Center for Human
and Civil Rights
CNN
tours
Behind the scenes tours at the Georgia Aquarium
Will be offered at 11:00AM and at 1:00pm. Each attendee will be assigned a specific time slot due to
limited space on each tour. The meeting spot will be at the information desk in the main lobby area.
Please do not “sign-in” just wait for your tour guide to arrive.
Want more? For the cost of admission, you can visit The National Center for Civil and Human Rights
just next door! You can also walk two blocks to The CNN Center and a take a backstage tour where
you might get the chance to test out the powers of a green screen during a practice weather
forecast.
TRANSPORTATION: If you want to stay downtown later than 4:00pm (or leave earlier),
you can call the Ramada for a free shuttle pick up. Please try to do so in groups and
allow 30 minutes for shuttle arrival after calling.
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Attendees must pre-register for activities
Costs are not included in full registration cost
This trip is full!!
Icebreaker
WEDNESAY, Feb 22
6:00PM to 10:00PM
At the Ramada Plaza in the Piedmont Ballroom
Cost Included in Full Conference Registration
Cost if not registered for full conference:
Member/Student: $65 Non-member: $85
The Ramada Plaza is where we’ll kick off the conference at
the icebreaker. Atlanta has a huge comedy improv scene,
and we’ll be treated to a show by Shawn Whitman and
Company. You might even have a chance to practice some of
your own improv skills so use that drink ticket wisely! We all
know a little improv will come in handy next time you have
a bird sitting in a tree that should be sitting on your glove.
During the icebreaker, we’ll be raffling some great behindthe-scenes tour opportunities that can be used during Zoo
Day, so bring your cash!
Bar opens @ 6:00pm
Improv Shows @ 6:30pm and 7:30pm
Fun and Games @ 8:00pm
Animal Encounter Raffle @ 9:00pm
Proceeds Benefit the Conservation Fund. Tickets $5.
Win a chance to feed a Panda or another animal During Zoo Day!!
Must be present to Win.
Keynote Speaker
THURSDAY, Feb 23
Chris Parish
The Peregrine Fund
Photo Credit: Chuck Szmurlo
Chris N. Parish, was raised in a small farming/ranching and oil town in south-central
California near the historical range of the remnant California condor population in the
southern San Joaquin Valley. After a brief yet impactful introduction to the wildlife of the
desert foothills mostly through hunting and fishing, he moved on to further his education
at Northern Arizona University on an athletic scholarship, obtaining a B.S. in Biology with
emphasis on Fish and Wildlife Management. Through time, education and reflection of
the vast gap between the people of the land and conservation-oriented groups i.e.
academics, scientists etc., it became obvious that he would strive to bridge the gap
between the people of the lands and the scientific/management communities. After
working on the Black Footed Ferret Reintroduction Program for the Arizona Game and Fish
Department, he transferred to the Flagstaff Regional Office as Condor Project Coordinator
in 1997. Since fall 2000, he has been directing the condor project’s field effort for The
Peregrine Fund, continuing his passion for effectively conveying products of scientific
inquiry to target audiences in an effort to recover a species. In 2012, Chris returned to
Northern Arizona University in pursuit of a PhD. in the Earth Sciences and Environmental
Sustainability Program.
Chris and his wife Ellen, have two beautiful teenage daughters, Emma and Anna. They can
sometimes be found together exploring the wilds of the four corners region while tracking
condors, hunting, fishing or hiking.
Evening Workshops
Repeat THURSDAY, Feb 23 and FRIDAY Feb 24
Workshops Begin at 6:30PM
Personal Passion and the Perfect Presentation
This two hour workshop will be facilitated by
Chris Jenkins, CPBT-KA,
Chief Operating Officer, Natural Encounters, Inc
Exhibit talks, animal encounters, and stage shows are some of the primary tools
that many facilities use to help connect guests with the animals that we care
for. But what information are we sharing in these interactions, and how are we
presenting it? In this workshop, we will explore some concepts that can help us
to take full advantage of every opportunity to take these interactions to the
next level:
• Moving beyond "Sharing = Caring"
• To Script or Not to Script: Interactions "In the Now"
• Strategies for Training Visitors
• What does "The Perfect Presenter" look like?
Workshops are NOT covered in the full-registration fee. IATCB CEU’s are
available for certified trainers
All workshops are FULL and begin at 6:30pm
Evening Workshops
Repeat Thursday, Feb 23 and Friday Feb 24
Workshops Begin at 6:30PM
Educating the Flock:
How to combine the science of training and education to create
cooperative learning.
This three hour workshop will be facilitated by
IAATE Board Member, Mike Billington, CPBT-KA, and Kenny Coogan, CPBT-KA
Want to hone your education skills for zoo camps, outreach programs, zoo tours,
shows and school presentations? We are emphasizing the 'E' in IAATE at this
workshop! Learn how to promote collaborative and active learning, foster
empowerment, adapt to various learning styles and utilize free educational
technology. Attendees will go through various labs and hands on activities while
best practices are being modeled. Participants will take home an inquiry-based
activity and lab lesson plans as well as educational bird related prizes!
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Workshops are NOT covered in the full-registration fee. IATCB CEU’s are
available for certified trainers
All workshops are FULL and begin at 6:30pm
Evening Workshops
Repeat Thursday, Feb 23 and Friday Feb 24
Workshops Begin at 6:30PM
Engaging Enrichment
This three hour workshop will be facilitated by
IAATE President, Robin Shewokis and IAATE Board Member, Dave Miller.
This workshop will focus on how to enrich your birds and your guests
simultaneously. Learn the art of extending visitor stay time while inspiring them
to leave as stewards of your avian ambassadors.
Evening Workshops PRESENTER BIOS
Robin Shewokis is the owner of The Leather Elves; a family business that creates enrichment for
companion parrots. Robin realized there was a need for enrichment targeting other species, and has
consulted at zoos in the US, Canada, Holland, and New Zealand. Robin consults at facilities where she
works with keepers doing workshops and assisting in creating enrichment programs. Robin is President
of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators. She also serves on the Board of the
National Parrot Rescue and Preservation Foundation. She is Massachusetts State Coordinator for the
American Federation of Aviculture. Passionate about conservation, Robin has supported Blue Throated
Macaw conservation as well as Kakapo conservation. A visit to New Zealand and the opportunity to
hold a kakapo chick sold Robin on the flightless green parrot.
Dave Miller works at Disney’s Animal
Kingdom and helps his team to build
interactive experiences for thousands
of guests that pass through on a daily
basis. He is an IAATE Board member
and is passionate about animal training
and enrichment.
Dave Miller
Robin Shewokis
Workshops are NOT covered in the full-registration fee. IATCB CEU’s are
available for certified trainers
All workshops are FULL and begin at 6:30pm
Evening Workshops PRESENTER BIOS (cont.)
Mike Billington is a fulltime trainer and educator at The Raptor Center (TRC), located at the University
of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He has a degree in Environmental Education and is
currently working on his Masters in Learning Technologies. He has worked at TRC for close to nine
years where he plays a key role in training staff and volunteers. He has also taught many professionals
about the science of behavior and training during TRC’s weeklong Care and Management
workshops. In addition, he is a Teaching Assistant in Dr. Susan Friedman’s professional trainer’s course,
Living and Learning with Animals (LLA). He has been a member of IAATE since 2009 and as a current
IAATE Board member he is the Chair of the Education Committee and has consulted on the
development of the IATCB Certification Exam.
Mike Billington
Kenny Coogan
Kenny Coogan, CPBT-KA, has been educating the public
for the past 15 years. He is a regular pet, garden, and
education columnist for publications including Backyard
Poultry, Countryside, Creature Companions, and Florida
Gardening magazines. He has authored an ecological
themed children’s book titled, A Tenrec Named Trey (And
other odd lettered animals that like to play). Coogan was
awarded the Beginning Teacher of the Year for the state
of Florida through the Florida Association of Science
Teachers in 2015. He earned his Bachelor of Science in
animal behavior at the University at Buffalo. He teaches
comprehensive science to 100 7th and 8th grade students
daily in Tampa, FL. Coogan shares his one acre
homestead with a range of taxonomic organisms
including five genera of carnivorous plants, ducks,
chickens, and a Moluccan cockatoo.
Chris Jenkins' work with animals began with a summer job at
SeaWorld in San Diego, California. After obtaining a degree in
Psychology from UC Davis, Chris volunteered at the Sacramento
Zoo until he decided to pursue a career with animals full time. In
2002, Chris was accepted into the Exotic Animal Training and
Management Program at Moorpark College. Upon graduation, he
worked as a wildlife educator at inner city schools in Los
Angeles. Chris has worked for Natural Encounters, Imc. since
2005 – first as a trainer, later as a Supervisor at each of the
company’s shows at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the "Flights of
Wonder" and "Winged Encounters - The Kingdom Takes Flight,"
and now as Chief Operating Officer. He also works as an NEI
training and show development consultant and a training
workshop instructor. Chris is an IATCB certified professional bird
trainer, member of AZA, ABMA and IAATE, and certified parrot
behavior consultant through IAABC.
Chris Jenkins
Zoo Day Workshops
Friday Feb 24
Workshops Begin at 9:30AM at Zoo Atlanta
Raptor Care:
Proper Restraint and Basic
Coping Skills
Instructors: Rebecca Bearman, Zoo Atlanta
Cassie Malina, CPBT-KA, Natural Encounters, Inc.
Kathryn Dudeck, Chattahoochee Nature Center
Perching for Health and
Welfare
Instructors: James Ballance and Andy
Clement, Zoo Atlanta
In this workshop, participants will
get an overview of perching dos and
don’ts in regards to keeping your
birds’ feet healthy and minds active!
After learning about the creativity
and endless possibilities in perching
options, attendees will get to
practice skills building a variety of
perches. If you drove to the
conference you get to go home with
your new creation! If you can’t get
your perches home, the Birds and
Programs Animals Department will
put them to good use at Zoo Atlanta.
Participants will have the opportunity
for hands-on learning using cadaver
raptors. This workshop will focus on
basic restraint and coping techniques.
Trainers with no or limited experience
in coping and/or restraint of raptors
will get the most out of this workshop
for beginners.
Workshops are NOT covered in the full-registration fee. IATCB CEU’s are
available for certified trainers
All workshops are FULL and begin at 6:30pm
Zoo Day Workshops PRESENTER BIOS
Kathryn Dudeck has been the Wildlife Director of Chattahoochee Nature
Center in Roswell since 2002. As the only full-time staff member in the
department, she oversees the daily care of more than 125 permanent
residents, 30 of which are raptors. Additionally, she is a state and
federally-licensed raptor rehabilitator, receiving nearly 250 cases
annually, and is FEMA-certified for Animals in Disasters. Kathryn studied
at the University of Georgia, receiving a B.S. in Zoology and an M.S. in
Marine Sciences with an emphasis in molecular biology.
Cassie Malina has worked with Natural Encounters, Inc. since 1998. She has
produced and performed free flight bird shows in several facilities across the
country and has consulted internationally on bird and other animal shows.
She instructs at Natural Encounters, Inc. Training Workshops and has given
talks at several conferences and bird club events. Cassie is the Director of
Staff Development for Natural Encounters, Inc. Chief Financial Officer of the
IAATE, and Certified Parrot Behavior Consultant through the IAABC.
Rebecca Bearman is currently the Assistant Curator of Birds and Program
Animals at Zoo Atlanta where she has the privilege of managing a great
group of keepers, collection of ambassador animals, and show birds.
Additionally, she is the Chair of the Rodent, Insectivore, and Lagomorph
TAG for AZA and the Coordinator of the Behavioral Management
Committee at Zoo Atlanta.
James Balance has worked full time with birds for over 30 years, the last 16
at Zoo Atlanta as Curator of Birds plus others, currently Birds and Program
Animals! His fascination and AZA focus is with flamingos, Gruiformes,
ratites, and raptors (especially Old World vultures). The Program Animals
Section of the department is run by his staff with more specialized
knowledge so if there are things in Program Animals that you like, the
kudos must go to the Program Animals team. It took James a long time to
fully appreciate the values of training but he is now a wholehearted
supporter. James is proud to share their department with attendees during
this IAATE conference!
Andy Clement started out as an intern with the bird department over 5 years
ago and was hired on full time just several months after. I’ve been awarded
grant funds for professional development trips to the Great Lakes Piping
Plover Project in Michigan and also to present a paper on stress free bird
trapping in exhibits at last year’s AZA midyear conference. I’m a fan of all
species of cranes and thoroughly enjoy working here with the rest of the bird
team!
Zoo Day
Behind the scenes tours and open houses, shows, training demonstrations, animal feeding
opportunities and more!
Workshop: Perching
9:30a-11:30a
Tech Lab (ARC Building)
Workshop: Coping and Restraint
9:30a-11:30a
Ford Conference Room (ARC Building)
Living Treehouse Tour (Aviary)
10:00a-11:00a
Living Treehouse
Bird Propagation Center
Open for viewing and Keeper Q&A
10:00a-12:00p
Gate on the East side of Wild Planet Café
Animal Ambassador Building
Open for viewing
10:00a-12:00p
Wieland Wildlife Home
Ape exhibit BTS viewing available
10:30a-11:30a
Meet near Giant River Otter exhibit
Hoofstock Barn BTS Open for viewing
10:30a-11:30a
Gate to the East of Georgia Extremes
Fantastic Flights Bird Show
11:00a-11:30a
World of Wild Theater
BTS Mew Tours
11:30a-12:00p
World of Wild Theater
Animal Ambassador Building
Guided Tour and Q&A
11:30a-12:00p
Wieland Wildlife Home
Lunch and Open Board Meeting
12:00p-1:30p
Ford Conference Room (ARC Building)
Bird Exhibit Guided Tour
1:30p-2:30p
Meet by Southern Ground Hornbill Exhibit
Animal Ambassador Building
Open for viewing
1:30p-3:00p
Wieland Wildlife Home
Gorilla Training Demonstration
1:45p-2:00p
Inside Willie B's Gorilla Conservation Center
Animal Adventures: A Small Animal
Show
2:00p-2:15p
Amy's Tree Theater
Tiger Training Demonstration
2:00p-2:15p
Tiger Training Panel
2:00p-2:30p
Tiger Training Panel
Hoofstock Barn BTS Open for viewing
3:00p-4:00p
Gate to the East of Georgia Extremes
Fantastic Flights Bird Show
3:00p-3:30p
World of Wild Theater
BTS Mew Tours
3:30p-4:30p
World of Wild Theater
Bus to hotel – First bus leaves at
4:45p LAST BUS is 5:30p!!!!
4:45p-5:30p
Main Circle
(Breeding/weather permitting)
Tiger Building BTS Tours
(ONLY if Tiger training demo can’t occur)
Yellow = workshop. Pre-registration
Required
White = Behind the Scenes area open
for viewing during listed times.
Bird/Program Animal area guided tour,
please arrive at start time.
Pink = show or training demonstration
Bird
Propagation
Center tour
Ape exhibit
tour
Tiger Training
Demo or BTS Tour
Aviary Tour
Workshops,
Lunch and
Open Board
Meeting
GROUP
PHOTO
SPOT
Hoofstock
Barn Viewing
Bird Exhibit
Guided
Tour
Drop
Off/Pick-Up
Circle
Last bus @
5:30pm
Banquet
SATURDAY, Feb 25
6:00PM to 10:00PM
At the Ramada Plaza in the Piedmont Ballroom
Cost Included in Full Conference Registration
Cost if not registered for full conference:
Member/Student: $100 Non-member: $120
The 2017 conference will wrap up in grand style at this year’s banquet. Our
banquet features a full dinner and a cash bar. Great food and great times to
be had by all. Held at the Ramada Plaza, the banquet is a great time to
recognize our fellow professionals with the Annual Awards Ceremony.
Photo Contest Slide Show and Winners Announcement.
Enrichment Contest Winners Announcement.
High Flyer Award Presentation.
Behavior of the Year Award Presentation.
Interpretive Award Presentation.
Service and Board Member Awards.
Grant Winners Announced!
Find out where we are headed in 2018!!
Be sure to enter the Conservation Raffle to win awesome stuff!!!
Paper Abstracts
and
Presenter Bios
Antecedent Arrangements: A Trainer’s Best Friend
Matt Edmonds Wonders of Nature
Most trainers are familiar with terms such as Positive Reinforcement, Negative
Reinforcement, and Punishment. While these concepts are certainly important, the term
Antecedent Arrangement is one that should be on the top of every bird trainer’s “To Do’
list. Antecedent Arrangements, (or AA’s), are not only more effective than Positive
Reinforcement, they are more ethical because they require less (or no) effort on the part of
the bird. AA’s are the history and current conditions and surroundings of the bird
immediately prior to a trainer interacting with the bird. Disregarding these arrangements
almost surely increases the use of undesired techniques such as Negative Reinforcement
and Punishment. With the proper AA’s, it is easier for birds to complete their behaviors,
allowing them to perform at higher weights. This presentation will discuss what AA’s are
and the many ways to create proper AA’s for training and shows.
Bio: Matt Edmonds is the Owner / Operator of Wonders of Nature Traveling Wildlife Show
based in St. Petersburg, Florida. Matt started his animal career 1987 as a zoo keeper. In
1993 he discovered he had some talent for interpreting animal behavior and shaping their
behavior with rewards. That led to a new direction in his career. In 1994 he began training
animals for education shows. Matt believes that "learning is taught, but caring is caught"
and live animal shows are the best way to infect the public with the love of nature. In
January 2002, Matt started Wonders of Nature. The show travels to schools, libraries,
retirement communities, etc. in West Central Florida. Matt's love of science and nature
began when he saw the television series "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan. Carl's love of nature and
his brilliant, yet understandable explanations of the universe as described by science,
taught Matt to appreciate nature as a whole. Since then, he has never focused too closely
on any single aspect of nature. He loves everything from the smallest virus to the largest
cluster of galaxies. Matt's hobbies are playing the drums, riding his motorcycle, and
photography. Bugs are his favorite subjects to photograph, but anything in nature is a
possible target for a picture.
The Evolution of Control for our Striated Caracara
Nicky Plaskitt, CPBT-KA, Paradise Wildlife Park
At Paradise Wildlife Park we acquired a young Striated Caracara (Phalcoboenos australis) in
September 2014. She was approximately 6 months old and had been bred at ZSL London
Zoo. We had a few ideas of what we wanted her to do during our show, standard caracara
things like going into a dustbin, running through a tunnel and turning things over with her
feet. Having worked with the species before I know how intelligent they are and that this
can lead to them becoming ‘bored’ or ‘stuck in a rut’ if the same behaviors are
asked each and every day in the same order. So right from day one we aimed to mix things
up, offering lots of new behavior ideas and never putting things in the same place two days
running. She also never gets the same food two days running, the amount constantly
fluctuates and is frequently subsidized with live insects in enrichment items. In fact she
probably receives the most enrichment of any of our birds simply because she is so keen to
get into everything (even without food!) Gradually we realized that she was so focused on
exploring the new things in the flying arena that basically we could just stand in one place
and reinforce her for completing the behaviors we wanted in ANY order. This gives her
complete control over the way she does her ‘routine’ every day, and we can send her back
to points or posts that she may have missed if necessary. She usually hits all points once
before turning to us for instruction and then we can send her back to anything she didn’t
perhaps do to the highest criteria. She is now just over 2 years old and starting to molt into
her adult colors. This has been an exercise in keepers relinquishing control pretty much
completely – something we have tried to do with many of our birds, by offering them the
choice to fly out of the aviary instead of going to get them, and flying them without anklets
and jesses. These birds have such an inquisitive and mischievous nature as I’m sure other
caracara trainers have found, and she is usually one of the highlights of my day!
Bio: I have been the Section Leader for the Bird section at Paradise Wildlife Park in the UK
since July 2012. In addition I oversee all the training across the park, whether for shows,
public experiences or husbandry and veterinary behaviors. Prior to this I spent nearly 10
years working for ZSL London Zoo on both the Animal Activities section responsible for
training animals for public experiences and shows, and a large mammal section where I did
a lot of husbandry training. Over the years I have worked with a diverse range of species
and find the act of teaching birds in a free flight setting to be the most challenging and the
most rewarding! I have been lucky enough to spend 2 seasons working on the Birds of the
World Show
Selection Process for Non-Releasable Birds: The First Step in Bird Welfare
Kit Lacy –Education Director - Cascades Raptor Center
The selection of ambassador animals coming out of wildlife rehabilitation facilities is an
evolving process as information grows regarding long-term physical impacts of disabilities
on an animal’s quality of life. Ambassador animal welfare traditionally addressed
nourishment, length of life, and physical safety while in human care. More facilities are now
focusing on cognitive well-being, including examining if individuals are free from pain, fear,
and distress as a measure of welfare. And, as more trainers are adopting choice-based
training methods using the least number of aversive stimuli possible, bird selection is the
first step in the welfare process. Cascades Raptor Center has developed rigorous criteria for
all birds before they are added to our team. Because many of our resident birds are wildhatched individuals deemed non-releasable by rehabilitation facilities, it became necessary
to devise a thorough assessment process. Data collected from wellness monitoring of our
current bird collection coupled with over 20 years of comprehensive necropsy reports have
provided information indicating that many disabilities that result in non-releasable status
also preclude individuals from having a high quality of life in human care. Setting an
ambassador animal up for a successful life in human care begins with appropriate, well
considered selection.
Bio: Kit Lacy is Education Director at Cascades Raptor Center, Eugene, OR. For over a
decade, Kit has been collaborating with other Raptor Center staff on developing the best
possible team of avian ambassadors through appropriate bird selection and positive
reinforcement training techniques. With over 12 years of experience in wildlife
rehabilitation, assisting in Cascades’ wildlife hospital, she is familiar with many injuries that
deem raptors non-releasable. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a Master
of Science in Animal Behavior and taught college biology for seven years before focusing on
her passion for raptors. Her most satisfying bird training accomplishment was winning the
IAATE 2012 Show Behavior of the Year for training two White-tailed Kites to kite on cue. She
has been a member of the IAATE board of directors since 2013.
Captive Management Issues Involving Birds of Prey.
David Scott, DVM. Staff veterinarian, Carolina Raptor Center, Charlotte, NC
There are many issues that can affect birds of prey in a captive situation. Many are
husbandry-related and avoidable, while others involve common diseases of infectious and
possibly contagious origin. This talk will cover some of the most common and serious
problems that affect captive raptors. Topics covered will include Aspergillosis, bumblefoot,
avian pox, overgrown beaks, obesity, accidental trauma (involving fractures and talons), as
well as many other subjects. Actual cases will be used to illustrate each topic and audience
participation will be encouraged.
Bio: David Scott is the staff veterinarian at the Carolina Raptor Center. His areas in interest
include orthopedic surgery and bioinformatics. He is the creator of the RaptorMed™
medical records system that is in use at facilities worldwide and he has just published the
2nd edition of his book “Raptor Medicine, Surgery and Rehabilitation”.
The Importance of Relationships
Justin Eckelberry, Birds and Program Animals Keeper II, Zoo Atlanta
A positive relationship is an invaluable tool in a trainer’s arsenal of reinforcements. While it
is not always a necessity, it is always an advantage when going into a training session. Much
like relationships between people, animal-human relationships must be cultivated over
time. Relationships are not built overnight. They take time and a constant effort from the
first meeting to the last. Using a real world example of a red-tail hawk and trainer, this
paper will aim to explain what a relationship is at a psychological level and describe its
importance as a secondary reinforcer. Both successes and failures will be discussed in detail
as well as elements of building relationships in both naturally social and non-social animals.
Bio: My name is Justin Eckelberry and I am a Keeper II at Zoo Atlanta. I earned my BS in
Zoology from The Ohio State University and worked at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and
North Georgia Zoo prior to becoming a keeper at Zoo Atlanta. What I love most about
working with birds is the time and care you have to take in order to build trust between the
teacher and learner. My favorite bird to work with is Baobab, our hooded vulture, because I
love convincing our audiences that he’s the cutest bird we have. Have you ever seen a
vulture run, I mean come on!
The Peruvian Amazon: My Personal Journey into the Rainforest and the
National Aviary’s Deep Connection with my Experience
Kelly Pollard, National Aviary
When one’s day consists of caring for birds from around the world, it’s only a matter of time until
the itch to observe them in their natural environments begins to emerge. For myself, that itch
continued to grow until two years ago I could ignore it no longer, and I began the process of
becoming a volunteer in the Peruvian Amazon. This paper will not only discuss the amazing work I
was lucky enough to take part in, but more importantly how the National Aviary has benefitted from
my time in the rainforest. In an age when zoos are increasingly under the proverbial microscope,
being able to say that our zoo feels so strongly about conservation that we are sending staff to the
field, becomes vital. It’s my hope that this presentation may inspire someone else to take this
journey into the natural world just as I was inspired by a presentation a few years ago. That
presentation, along with an article written for The Flyer, stayed in the back of my mind over the last
few years, and gave me the extra push I needed to scratch that itch and say, I want to go into the
field!
Bio: Kelly is a Show & Education Trainer at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where
she has worked since 2005. Before coming to the National Aviary, Kelly received a BS in Zoology
from Kent State University, an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan, completed a
Conservation Biology Internship at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and worked as an Education Specialist
at Sea World Orlando. She has been an active member of IAATE since 2010, and a member of
the Education Committee for the last few years. Kelly has presented papers at IAATE and
ABMA, and is also a member of the Pittsburgh AAZK chapter
The Art and Creation of Interactive Experiences in a Free-Flight Aviary: Let’s
Do This Together!
Dave Miller, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
In the “The Art and Creation of Interactive Experiences in a Free-Flight Aviary: Let’s Do This
Together!” I will cover some of the useful tools including: in-depth knowledge of birds,
individual behavior, natural history, food management, seeking out the highest reinforcers,
and other additional information. In this paper/presentation I will share the art and
technique that we use on a daily basis to help build solid relationships with free-flight birds
and co-workers. It is hoped that by sharing this information, other keepers in free-flight
aviaries will go beyond maintenance and medical training, and into engaging and inspiring
their guests by spotlighting their birds’ natural behaviors. I will also cover how to convey a
solid message and the art of interacting with your guests. When focusing on natural
behaviors, the free-flight training elevates the level of activity, which allows guests to be
more aware of every species around them. By highlighting how amazing and resilient birds
are, we inspire guests to take a deeper look into their lives. By making sure that everyone on
the team has value and responsibility, we can work as a whole and inspire each other. The
key to any team’s success is the uniting and coaching of one another. This paper will also give
insights on how to look at skill sets within your team, and set your co-workers up for success.
Bio: Dave Miller works at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and helps his team to build interactive
experiences for thousands of guests that pass through on a daily basis. He is an I.A.A.T.E.
board member and is passionate about animal training and enrichment.
I Now Know Better…
Gareth Morgan, African Lion Safari
Change can be a scary thing and is not often welcomed with open arms. We like to stay in
our comfort zone, do what is familiar to us or what has worked for us in the past. However to
make improvements, change is necessary or else we are not going to progress. Over the 23
years of managing birds, the way I do things now in some cases is completely different from
when I first started. At the time what I was doing seemed right, others were all doing the
same thing and everything was all done in good intentions. At the time it was the best
information available and what was known. However, trying new things to make
advancements, educating myself and learning from others to become better has led to what
I believe to be better management of our birds. I would like to share with people what I have
learned by looking at what I used to do and compare it to what I do now and share why I like
how it works better for us. You can’t know something until you’ve learned it or experienced
it. I would like to now share what I have learned thus far and I look forward to where we go
from here!
Bio: Gareth has been working with birds since he was 16 years old in a zoo setting. He
started out volunteering and is now the Manager of Birds at the African Lion Safari, Ontario,
Canada. Gareth is most attracted to carnivorous birds, especially raptors and is responsible
for one of the largest and most diverse collections of Birds of Prey in North America. Gareth
has been flying birds in shows for 23 seasons and is involved in breeding many species of
birds. Gareth is also involved in conservation projects around the world and is currently
serving on the IAATE board as the international representative.
Retirement: When is it Time and What Does it Look Like?
Rebecca Bearman, Assistant Curator of Birds and Program Animals, Zoo Atlanta
The decision to retire an ambassador animal is never easy and is almost never black and
white. With an aging collection, Zoo Atlanta has had to make the decision to permanently
retire 3 show birds in the last few years: an African pied crow, a red-tailed hawk and an
Eurasian eagle owl. This paper will discuss what behaviors each bird demonstrated that
pointed toward retirement being the right choice. Due to limited resources, we could not
give retired birds the attention they were used to receiving from their human family, so we
looked at other ways to ensure retirement was as enriching for them as their working lives
had been. We looked at each individual bird’s personal and natural history and made a
specific plan that would suit their needs.
Bio: I am currently the Assistant Curator of Birds and Program Animals at Zoo Atlanta where I
have the privilege of managing a great group of keepers, our collection of ambassador
animals, and our free-flight bird show. Additionally, I am the Chair of the Rodent, Insectivore,
and Lagomorph TAG for AZA and the Coordinator of the Behavioral Management Committee
at Zoo Atlanta. I began working with animals in 1992 at our family pet store just outside
Chicago, IL. It was this job that allowed me to find my passion for utilizing animals to educate
people about their natural history and natural behaviors. After earning my BS from the
University of Miami, I earned my MSc from Oxford Brookes University in Primate
Conservation. I have been lucky enough to train under both Ken Ramirez and Steve Martin
and I have a passion for sharing my knowledge about teaching and learning with others!
The Raven That Wouldn’t
Seth Wagner and Susan Burchardt, Woodland Park Zoo
In December of 2015 our ambassador animal department acquired a Common Raven from a
rehabilitation facility in California. He was a juvenile bird with a slight wing injury and clipped
wings. It was thought someone had tried to raise him as a pet. Upon arriving at our facility he
quickly settled into his new enclosure and he proved to be very social and interested in
working with his trainers. However, he also would show a high fear response if perching or
toys in his enclosure were moved or changes were made to the larger room his enclosure
was in. This behavior extended to the point that he would stop responding to cues and could
not be worked elsewhere. This continued to happen even with intermediate approximations.
He would not work with trainers anywhere but in his area. This presentation is going to focus
on the series of strategies, some successful and some not, we have used to help him recover
from this paralyzing fear. We will also share our ideas for developing his training in the
future.
Bio: Seth Wagner was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and had an animal obsession at an
early age thanks to the local presence of Jack Hannah at the Columbus Zoo. He started
working a seasonal keeper at Columbus Zoo in college while obtaining a BS in Zoology and
Genetics at Ohio Wesleyan University. That developed into a career working in zoos that took
him to Alaska and then eventually Seattle where he works ambassador animals for
Woodland Park Zoo. He is an avid birdwatcher and enjoys spending his time SCUBA diving
exploring the wilds of Washington!
Bio: Susan Burchardt has a B.S. in Zoology from Miami University. She began working with
birds at World Bird Sanctuary, and has worked at the Raptor Center at Woodland Park Zoo in
Seattle, WA since 2009. She works every day to make herself acceptable to all the birds in
her care.
How Are We Doing? Assessing the Effectiveness of Vulture Education
Meghan Sparkman, Bird Staff/Educator at the Center for Birds of Prey/Avian Conservation
Center
While most avian educators are aware of the vulture population crises in Africa and India, it
is far less common for members of the United States’ general public to be familiar with the
problem. The education programs at the Center for Birds Of Prey consistently feature
information about vulture conservation and natural history. But just how affective is our
programming at raising awareness or changing human behavior? We aim to answer these
questions using two surveys: one administered to guests/students before they have seen
our programming and one administered after they had seen or participated in an educational
program featuring vultures. The surveys aim to answer the following questions: How do
members of the general public view vultures? How important do they believe vultures are to
a healthy environment? How aware are they of the current vulture population crises in India
and Africa? Would they be willing to change their behavior to any extent to help vultures?
Bio: Meghan Sparkman is an Educator at the Center for Birds of Prey/Avian Conservation
Center, a non-profit organization located just outside of Charleston, South Carolina. While
attending Auburn University as an undergraduate she walked by a bulletin board asking for
volunteers at the Southeastern Raptor Center, and that moment changed the course of her
life. After volunteering in the Clinic and Education departments at the SRC, she decided to
pursue a career in avian conservation and education, and was lucky enough to be hired at
the Center for Birds of Prey upon graduation in 2013. Meghan is particularly passionate
about vultures, and is happiest when she is sees new guests learning to appreciate these
fascinating and incredibly important scavengers.
Assessing Enrichment in the Busy Bird Show Season
Lyndsay Newton, Birds and Program Animals Keeper III, Zoo Atlanta
Enrichment is a vital part of animal care. Facilities caring for animals often have limited staff
time and resources. This may make it difficult to evaluate enrichment to determine if it is
accomplishing intended goals. It may also be challenging to modify enrichment or provide
alternatives for items that are not effective at achieving goals. Furthermore, when working
with education and show animals, diet is often used for training purposes, limiting the use of
foraging-based enrichment items. At Zoo Atlanta, we have started to address several of these
issues within our enrichment program. We have developed simple studies to collect data on
enrichment. These studies were designed to be implemented with minimal staff time, and
could even be conducted during the busy show season. In this paper, we will share these
studies, present ways in which we were able to improve our enrichment program, and
provide some solutions to challenges unique to show and education collections.
Bio: Lyndsay Newton is a Keeper III at Zoo Atlanta. She has been working with birds since
2008. In August of 2014, she joined the zoo’s Program Animals department. Her primary
duties are the care of the department’s free flight bird collection and presentation of shows
and encounters with birds of prey, parrots, and other exotic avian species. Fun fact: her
previous career had her working as a geneticist, and as a result, she comes down firmly on
the side that birds should be considered feathered members of Class Reptilia.
Shifting Paradigms; How to Begin Establishing Choice for Avian Ambassadors
Leia Minch, American Bald Eagle Foundation
If you work at a facility that does not integrate animal-choice training and husbandry
strategies into their programs, moving in that direction can be a long and arduous process.
The American Bald Eagle Foundation (ABEF) in Haines, Alaska has transitioned from coercive
tactics to giving ambassadors options and control over their environments. Changing
standards of our avian programming required a full-spectrum assessment of our policies and
procedures. We looked at more than shifting our training methods alone. In doing this, we
found the best way to give the birds choices required a change in our antecedent
arrangement, the creation of a comprehensive enrichment plan, choosing the right job for
the individual birds and, letting go of human egos. The goal of this paper is to share
information to help other facilities who are moving toward, or would like to move toward
choice-oriented methods of keeping, training and handling. It discusses challenges,
limitations and tactics as well as sharing research, successes and considerations. By sharing
our journey of change, we hope to empower facilities like ours to take the first steps in
transitioning to a birds-choose system of keeping, training and handling.
Bio: Leia Minch was raised in Phoenix, Arizona but has spent the last decade of her life
between California, Oregon and Alaska. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a
B.S. in journalism and environmental studies. Her career with raptors began as a volunteer
for the Cascades Raptor Center in Eugene, Oregon where she learned raptor husbandry,
handling, positive reinforcement training and how to present to large crowds in an inspiring
and compelling manner. Minch has completed both basic and advanced courses on raptor
rehabilitation through the Center. At the Foundation, Minch creates and improves raptor
natural history and conservation education materials for interns and guests alike. Her main
focus is improving enrichment, husbandry, and training in order to give her feathered coworkers as many choices as possible. She also dabbles in photography, grant writing, web
design, and graphic design for the Foundation.
Project P.E.P.E. (Preparing entertaining Peafowl education)
Joseph Parson, Animal Keeper, Cape May County Park & Zoo
Our facility has a population of India Peafowl that roam free throughout the park and zoo.
While most people enjoy watching them, some visitors will try to touch or harass them. This
puts both the birds and visitors at risk. While signs are up to inform the public about them,
few have interest in reading the signs. Over the last few years I have been developing a
keeper talk to inform the public of their natural behaviors and better ways to interact with
them. To do this without desensitizing the free roaming population, I have utilized four
peafowl that are not releasable for various reasons. Each one was raised with a different
method, and thus perform differently from each other and are able to teach the public different
things. This paper will cover the pros and cons of the ways each one was raised, and how each
bird can be properly utilized for education.
Bio: My name is Joseph Parsons, and I have an Associate’s degree in Zoo Animal Technology
from the Santa Fe Community College of Gainesville, FL. Since 2004 I have been employed at
the Cape May County Park & Zoo of Cape May, New Jersey as an Animal Keeper. While trained
to be a relief keeper for multiple ecies, the majority of the time I am assisting the bird
department.
The IDEA Program: Interactive Display and Education Animals
Jason Crean, MS, EdD
The IDEA Program is a program created by Jason Crean, MS, EdD that provides guidelines for
educational programs that include live animals in different venues. In order to support
classroom teachers, organization representatives, and anyone doing interactive outreach
programs, the guidelines created by Dr. Crean can provide a positive educational experience for
all. Keeping the language about the species represented and anticipating audience questions
can be key to success. This program aims to help educators of all kinds increase the impact of
their animal programs.
Bio: Jason Crean, MS, EdD is a degreed biologist and educator, specializing in incorporating
scientific data into classroom activities to illustrate how science applications affect
conservation. He runs a live animal education program that trains students to do free
interactive events for a host of different audiences. Dr. Crean also acts as consultant to zoos
and other institutions across the country. Crean has been awarded the Presidential Award for
Excellence in Science Teaching by President Obama, the High School Science Teacher of the
Year by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, as well as awards from the
National Science Teachers Association, National Association of Biology Teachers, Illinois Science
Teachers Association, Golden Apple Foundation, among others. He is the President of the
Illinois Science Teachers Association and Illinois Association of Biology Teachers, First VicePresident of the American Federation of Aviculture, and sits on the College Board’s National
Science Advisory Board.
Going Beyond Intern Training: Training to Train
Christina Lavallee, Lead Keeper, Birds and Program Animals, Zoo Atlanta
Interns take on unpaid positions to gain experience in zoos and aquariums. In exchange for
their help keeping our collections and work spaces taken care of, they receive hands on
experience and networking opportunities as they pursue career interests. Within the Program
Animals department at Zoo Atlanta, the interns learn basic husbandry, diet preparation, and
basic tool use. They also learn how to effectively conduct animal encounters, assist with
shows, and help train other volunteers. Sometimes an intern goes above and beyond
expectations and staff need a way to reinforce an exceptional intern. That reinforcement
comes in the way of continued learning and experience: writing a training plan. Once that plan
is approved, the intern gets the opportunity to train the behavior with the guidance of a
mentor. This is also a great way to allow keeper staff to gain experience in teaching others!
Not all interns get to the stage of actually training their animals, but if they are diligent and
motivated, then they get the opportunity to demonstrate the trained behavior to the staff and
other interns.
Bio: Christina Lavallee has worked at Zoo Atlanta for the past four years as lead keeper in the
birds and program animals department. She has been working with birds and other animals in
informal encounters, presentations, and shows for more than 13 years. She mentors staff,
interns, and docents on animal handling and encounters to improve their skills and the guest
experience. She likes training, exploring new places, and gardening.
Anthropomorphism and its Impact on Training
Jon Spero, African Lion Safari
As humans we have a tendency to assume that other animals think and act in a way that is
similar to ourselves. This is a form of anthropomorphism, and is believed to be an innate part
of our psychology, which can be problematic for animal trainers. Anthropomorphizing can
cause us to make assumptions and generalizations that may yield failure for the subject and
frustration for the trainer. As trainers, we have to remind ourselves that we don’t know the
way other animals think or what they are thinking and therefore need to make training
decisions based off of their exhibited behaviors. In this presentation I will be looking at some
of the ways we anthropomorphize while training and the implications that it can have.
Bio: Jon Spero is a senior animal trainer at African Lion Safari in Cambridge, Ontario Canada.
He attended the University of Guelph, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in
Zoology. It was in his first year as an undergrad, in 2008, where he began volunteering with
non-releasable birds of prey. Jon started working at the Bird of Prey Conservation Centre at
African Lion Safari in 2009, where he continues to train birds and educate the public through a
free flight demonstration.
Aim At the Target but Focus on the Process
Steve Martin CPBT-KA, Natural Encounters, Inc.
Programmatic pressures can cause serious compromises in this fast-paced world of educational
animal show production. The need for urgent action can eclipse good judgment, undermine
relationships and cause a myriad of other problems. However, even in calm environments
trainers often make mistakes by pursuing short-term goals without considering the long-term
consequences of the process used to achieve the goal. For instance, it is often the case that a
trainer might force or trick a bird into a cage and focus on the momentary success only to
realize tomorrow that the bird is even more difficult to get into the cage. Process is
paramount in everything we do from training animals, to preparing diets, to working
with colleagues and so much more. Through careful consideration of the process and skillful
application of behavior change principals, we can create lasting, reliable behavior while
improving relationships and providing better welfare for the animals in our care.
Bio: Steve Martin began his professional animal training career when he set up the first of its
kind, free-flight bird show at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in 1976. The show became
known for its unique ability to combine the entertainment of birds performing natural
behaviors with inspirational conservation messages. He has now served as an animal
behavior and visitor experience consultant for many zoological facilities in more than 20
countries. Steve spends about 200 days each year consulting, lecturing, and conducting
animal training workshops. Steve is an instructor at the AZA Animal Training School, a
member of the AZA Animal Welfare Committee, and a Trustee with the World Parrot Trust.
He is also President of Natural Encounters, Inc., a company of over 50 professional animal
trainers that provide a wide variety of animal behavior and educational services to the
zoological world.
Poster Abstracts
and
Presenter Bios
Weight Management: Raising Targets over Time
Lyndsay Newton, Birds and Program Animals Keeper III, Zoo Atlanta
Weight management can be safe and effective when used in conjunction with appropriate
antecedents and consequences such as clear cues, predictable reinforcement, and good
relationships. Weight management programs should strive to work a bird at its highest target
weight – this weight ideally being at or above ad lib weight – at which the bird behaves
predictably most of the time. Immediately prior to 2010, the working birds at Zoo Atlanta
had a static target range instead of target weights. Ranges were rarely, if ever changed,
during the course of any single show season. Ad lib weight data had also not been recorded
for the collection. In 2011, flexible target weights were set which keepers frequently adjust in
small increments based on the factors above. Since then, we have added new birds to our
collection, and had an opportunity to collect feed up weight data on established collection
birds. This poster will review what we have learned by studying weights on these birds as
well as suggestions for weight management programs.
Bio: Lyndsay Newton is a Keeper III at Zoo Atlanta. She has been working with birds since
2008. In August of 2014, she joined the zoo’s Program Animals department. Her primary
duties are the care of the department’s free flight bird collection and presentation of shows
and encounters with birds of prey, parrots, and other exotic avian species. Fun fact: her
previous career had her working as a geneticist, and as a result, she comes down firmly on
the side that birds should be considered feathered members of Class Reptilia.
Treatment of Severe Bumblefoot in 1.0 Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) Utilizing
Training to Minimize Stress
Kelly Pollard, National Aviary
Our male snowy owl presented with lameness of his right foot, and upon examination it was
found that he had severe bumblefoot in both feet, although the right foot was more
advanced. Show Staff consulted with Veterinary Staff regarding his treatment plans, and
made sure that the two departments worked together to allow for the highest quality of care
possible. This poster will outline his various treatments, as well as what Show Staff were able
to do to minimize the stress caused to him. While reducing stress is important for any
animal, it becomes critical when dealing with a bird that is highly susceptible to aspergillosis
infection. Fleury is still undergoing treatments, but continues to improve every day.
Bio: Kelly is a Show & Education Trainer at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
where she has worked since 2005. Before coming to the National Aviary, Kelly received a BS
in Zoology from Kent State University, an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of
Michigan, completed a Conservation Biology Internship at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and
worked as an Education Specialist at Sea World Orlando. She has been an active member of
IAATE since 2010, and a member of the Education Committee for the last few years. Kelly has
presented papers at IAATE and ABMA, and is also a member of the Pittsburgh AAZK chapter.
Using Movement to Engage Learners in Programs and Presentations
Loy Maierhauser, Education Director, Montana Raptor Conservation Center
This poster will present different ways that wildlife educators can use movement during their
programs and presentations to help engage learners of all ages. Frequently, as a wildlife
educator, I fall back on my comfort zone - standing in front of a classroom with the birds and
talking (lecturing) about them. Movement is a great way to help people remember and
connect with what they’re learning, and this poster will show different ways that people can
incorporate movement into their education. One way to incorporate movement is by using
small group rotations - dividing your program up into small groups and have them rotate
through different “stations” for hands on learning and to get them up and moving. Another
way is by developing active games, like an obstacle course or other physical challenge that
represent part of the message that you’re trying to convey. We have used a “migration
challenge” obstacle course that kids have a blast participating in, but also gets them thinking
deeper about the challenges that birds go through while migrating. We have also had
students build nest boxes or bird feeders and have gone on hikes as part of an effort to
increase participants’ movement while learning.
Bio: Loy Maierhauser has 12 years of experience in the tourism and hospitality business, and
has worked with birds (mostly raptors) for over 10 years. She got her start doing bird shows at
Reptile Gardens in Rapid City, SD as a teenager. When she moved to Oregon for college, she
missed working with birds so much that she started volunteering at the Cascades Raptor
Center in Eugene, where she spent most of her free time during her college years. Loy then
became an elementary school teacher, working in both rural and urban schools before finding
her way back to birds in her current role as the Education Director at the Montana Raptor
Conservation Center in Bozeman, Montana.
Mew Modifications: Where Are We Now?
Christina Lavallee, Lead Keeper, Birds and Program Animals, Zoo Atlanta
At the 2015 IAATE conference, several colleagues presented a paper on the evolution of our
mews. Add-ons were built onto the mews to provide the show collection at Zoo Atlanta's
World of Wild Theater additional visual stimulation. “Pop ups,” additional windows, and shifts
to other mews were all new additions. Since then, we have evaluated the usage of these
additional spaces. Anecdotally, it appeared that all the birds were in their new spaces
whenever they were given access. It seemed like the birds were choosing new windows and
pop-ups even over old windows they’d sat in front of prior. With limited resources we utilized
teen volunteers and Zoomonitor to determine how much more time the birds were spending
in these new areas instead of old ones.
Bio: Christina Lavallee has worked at Zoo Atlanta for the past four years as lead keeper in the
birds and program animals department. She has been working with birds and other animals in
informal encounters, presentations, and shows for more than 13 years. She mentors staff,
interns, and docents on animal handling, and encounters to improve their skills and the guest
experience. She likes training, exploring new places and gardening.
Thirty-two and Twenty-six Years in a Cage: The Challenge of Two Blue and Gold
Macaws (Ara Ararauna) to Learn New Behaviors From Undesired Stimulus to
Desired Stimulus: A Story Without Grille.
DVM CPBT-KA Joel Romero Lujan, DVM G. Alicia Sánchez Peralta
MEDCAB (Medicine Clinic of Animal Behavior), Mexico
How easy could be free? When life has adapted to bars for many years, is freedom difficult?
Everything change everyday out of a cage, so, every single stimulus could be aversive or
desired? Therefore, objective of this study is understand what kind of stimuli influence on new
behaviors in two blue and gold macaws. This project was carried out at Miguel Aleman
Foundation located in Mexico City, Mexico. Macaws of 32 and 26 years old with nothing of
previous training in lifetime. Starting work under a medical examination of both birds, results
allow us determine macaws show no signs of serious illness and are candidates for a bird
training program. Bird behaviors and body language during trainings in and out their cage give
us information to recognize undesired and desired events just before and after the wanted
behaviors in our macaws. In this work, birds never were abused, negative reinforcement
process appear in front us when we analyze in depth the macaws interaction with
environment. We can conclude that in our macaws, after many years in the same
environment, adapt to a new one was difficult and still is difficult for them but always birds
find a positive consequence.
Bio: Joel Romero Lujan graduated from Veterinary School at the Metropolitan University of
Mexico. Cofounder of Medicine Clinic of Animal Behavior in Mexico. Worked and collaborated
with seven different zoos, pet owners and farm animals in eight different states of Mexico the
last 17 years. IAATE Member since 8 years ago. Happy of represent Latin America at the IAATE
International Committee. Always interested and focused in animal medicine and training, as
main goal learn every day more about the same topic and try to motivate the interest in avian
training at many places in Latin America.
Bio: G. Alicia Sánchez Peralta graduated from Veterinary School at the UMSNH of Morelia,
Mexico. Cofounder of Medicine Clinic of Animal Behavior in Mexico. Worked with five
different zoos and pet owners for the last 13 years. IAATE member since 6 years ago. Always
excited to learn more skills training, committed to improve the quality of life for birds in
captivity and motivate those working with them.
Migration to the New Exhibit
Michelle Ferguson, Austral/ Asia Keeper, Brevard Zoo
The Austral/ Asia section at Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida, is home to over 200 individual
animals (over 20 different avian species.) This year, funding provided the growing zoo the
opportunity to create brand new exhibits. Two new aviaries, a new bat exhibit, and a new
mixed species exhibit will all house various bird species. Before construction could begin,
keepers prepared plans for how each individual would be relocated to temporary aviaries and
off-exhibit holding areas. Relocating our smaller aviary birds such as rainbow lorikeets
(Trichoglossus moluccanus) was our biggest challenge simply because of the quantity.
Relocating 2.2 emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) and 0.1 Southern cassowary (Casuarius
casuarius) required a custom built crate, lots of training, and some muscles. The planning and
preparation that was put into all animal moves was carefully thought out by staff while
keeping in mind what the most positive, least intrusive methods would be within the time
constraint our small team had. Techniques used to make the moves possible included training
certain birds to fly to hand, crate training larger birds, and tunnel training our two large flocks.
Our mostly green staff was able to successfully migrate these birds into their new homes.
Bio: I'm an Austral/ Asia Keeper at the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida. I have a Bachelor's
of Science in Biology, and knew I wanted to work with animals at a young age. After being
introduced to the zoological field through internships both in the lab and animal side, I landed
my first keeper job at a small zoo in Virginia. There, I cared for all animals which included,
birds, reptiles, and mammals. I wanted to expand my knowledge in animal behavior, and that's
when I joined the Brevard Zoo team. Now, I care for over 20 different avian species. While I
love ratites, my current favorite individual is a Tawny frogmouth that I have hand raised. Every
day when I come to work I feel at home when I get to train my animals. I hope to expand my
knowledge of avian training as I continue to do what I love!
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