Wildlife Center of Virginia » NBGE Training Updates

NBGE Training Updates

Support the Wildlife Center’s care of Buddy

The rehabilitation and training staff of the Wildlife Center is now starting a more intensive program of training for Buddy, the Norfolk Bald Eagle. The ultimate goal would be to train the bird to sit calmly on a handler’s gloved hand, so that the eagle could be taken to programs and presentations off-site. Wildlife Rehabilitator Suzy Doell will be leading the training effort, which is expected to take some months.

Please check back in for periodic updates on the eagle’s training.

September Update: Back to School 2010

The training plan for Buddy has been slightly revised. For the sake of consistency in training, Suzy Doell will be Buddy’s only trainer, working with him four days a week. [Suzy’s current schedule is Monday through Thursday]. We’re tapping into the talents and experience of Claire Thain, who recently joined the Center’s staff as an Environmental Educator and who previously worked at the Carolina Raptor Center. Claire is serving as “head trainer” for all of the Center’s new education animals, advising all of the trainers and meeting with them regularly to help craft an appropriate training regimen for each bird. [In addition to Buddy, other raptors currently being evaluated and trained include a Barred Owl, a Broad-winged Hawk, a Great Horned Owl, and a Red-tailed Hawk.]

Suzy is now working to get Buddy accustomed to her touching his feet and holding his jesses. This is designed to give Buddy’s handlers more control. Once he becomes consistently comfortable with that process, Suzy will move to the next stage – getting Buddy to step up onto the glove.

Suzy will also stop using tongs as part of the training process. Buddy will be fed from her gloved hand; Suzy will be able to hide food behind her back until she is ready to present a treat.

Jack Looney Photo Shoot with Buddy

July 15, 2010 Training Update

Steps forward … and steps back. Our training with Buddy has suffered some difficulties. During the past few weeks, Buddy has been unwilling to step up on the glove and has generally been pretty aggressive during training sessions.

To try to get Buddy more excited about training food, Suzy recently slightly decreased his daily food allowance. This backfired … as he became too food aggressive. So … now back to normal rations.

Suzy and Dani will continue to work with Buddy daily.

May 20, 2010 Training Session: Photo Essay

May 20, 2010 update by Wildlife Rehabilitator Suzy Doell

Buddy’s training schedule has been somewhat interrupted because of the handling required for changing the bandages on his foot. With that issue behind us … it’s back to school.

Buddy has kept his new jesses on and seems to have become comfortable with his new jewelry. He still steps on them occasionally but he is a quick learner and is adjusting. Buddy seems to like standing in front of me while I’m seated on the ground and taking food. He also is enjoying his new piece of Astroturf. A small water-dispenser has become a play-toy that he likes to roll around.

Buddy has become a bit gentler and more patient since his birthday. He now more frequently completes his task and waits for his food treat.

April 27, 2010

Buddy had the day off from training today — it’s his birthday, after all. The jess that came off earlier in the week has been re-attached. As part of that process, Center vets checked Buddy’s feet and found a small superficial laceration on the pad of his right foot. As a precautionary measure, and to help keep the foot clean, the foot has been bandaged. Some more Astroturf will also be added to some back perches. The foot will be rechecked in a week or so — assuming that the bandage stays in place for that long.

A "temporary" label on Buddy's home

The Center staff enjoying Buddy’s birthday cake. Thank you!

And Buddy enjoying his birthday bluefish. Thank you!

April 26, 2010 Update

#08-887 is now down to only one jess … one of them was found on the floor of his pen over the weekend. Center staff will figure out when to re-attach.

Amanda Nicholson, the Center’s Rehabilitation Supervisor, has figured out what 887 has been fed during the past year — since his last birthday. Here’s the tally:

2,039 mice
3 rats and 3 rat pups
47 herring
17 other fish [primarily menhaden].

April 23, 2010 Photo Essay – #08-0887 Gets All Jessed Up!

April 22, 2010 update from Wildlife Rehabilitator Suzy Doell

#887 is back to his usual self after a bout of temper tantrums throughout the previous week. He is perching [moving to a designated perch] every time he is asked to do so, even when I ask him from outside the pen. He is also stepping up onto the glove when asked to do so and is now getting used to moving around the pen while standing on the glove. We have been turning in circles … and he is doing well. Sometimes he gets uncomfortable when he feels off- balance and jumps back to the perch, but he will get used to the feeling with time.

His jesses are being made today [by Center Education Coordinator Kelly Rourke] and will be placed on him tomorrow so he will have the weekend to get used to them before training begins again.

April 5, 2010

#08-0887 took advantage of the warm weather today to take a bath in his water tub. [And a larger tub is on order!]

March 31, 2010 update from Wildlife Rehabilitator Suzy Doell

#08-0887 continues to do well during his training. We have started to move around the pen while he is on the glove. This is taking some getting used to, but we’ve been able to move farther from his perch with each session. He has left his anklets alone … and they still look very nice on him. The jesses are soon to come.

March 23, 2010 update from Wildlife Rehabilitator Suzy Doell

The new anklets are working out wonderfully. #08-0887 has not picked at them … or even seemed to notice his new ankle jewelry.

Our training sessions on Monday and Tuesday were stellar. We will now work with walking with the eagle while he is on the glove. This will start out as slight turns and looking in different directions … until we can walk around in his pen effortlessly.

At some point — before we take him out of his pen on the glove — we will need to place some permanent jesses in his anklets [jesses are slender straps, crafted from leather. They are somewhat like a leash -- in that they help the handler have control of a bird]. But for now he has enough to become accustomed to. Baby steps.

#08-0887 was somewhat uninterested in food over the weekend. That’s likely due to [1] his dremmeling procedure on Friday; [2] loud banging from Boy Scouts finishing cages on Saturday; and [3] open-house tours on Sunday. But he seems to be back to his “old self” now.

Photo Essay of Crafting Anklets for #08-0887, with Education Coordinator Kelly Rourke

Photo Essay of March 16, 2010 #08-0887 Training Session with Wildlife Rehabilitator Suzy Doell

March 12 training update from Wildlife Rehabilitator Suzy Doell.

#08-0887 has continued to improve during his training sessions. He is now perching every time he is asked to do so. Since the new gloves and treat bag have arrived, he has taken large strides. He has already been stepping onto the glove during training sessions. That behavior will now be paired with the “step up” command. He continues to become more and more calm as his training advances and he shows interest in learning new skills.

The leather to be used in custom-crafting jesses and anklets has arrived. Once these pieces are finished, we will put anklets on #08-0887 and give him some time for adjustment. The next steps include starting to hold onto his jesses as he stays on the gloves and training him to sit patiently on a bow perch [also recently acquired through a generous donation].

February 22 training update from Wildlife Rehabilitator Suzy Doell.

#08-887’s training has been going very well thus far. His biggest accomplishments have been [1] allowing people to enter his cage without flying at them and [2] learning the “go-to-perch” command. Recently 887 has been asked to take mice from small tweezers over a falconry glove, instead of just having the mice tossed to him. He has adjusted quite well and quickly to this new feeding style.

The next step in 887’s training will be “stepping up” – learning to step up onto the gloved hand and taking mice from the tweezers while on the glove.

“Back to School” Kit. In February the Center rehabilitators came up with a back-to-school “wish list” for 08-887 — the equipment and materials that would be needed for his training and evaluation as a possible education animal. Included in that list were two heavy-duty eagle gloves [in medium and small sizes]; heavy-duty leather to be used by Center educator Kelly Rourke in hand-crafting custom-made anklets and jesses; English kip for a customized hood; a treat bag; a portable bow perch; and a bath pan [for his pen]. An anonymous supporter of the Wildlife Center has stepped forward to make possible the purchase of this “back-to-school” kit. Items have been ordered.

February 3 update: During the past few months, #08-0887 has developed a bad habit — he often rushes the door when rehabilitation or veterinary staff enters his enclosure. Suzy is now working to break him of this habit. She is also working to train the eagle to take mice from the end of forceps and to “step up” on a perch on command.

#08-887 on February 1, 2010

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Earlier Rehabilitation Updates

UPDATE: August 27, 2009

Eagle #08-0887 seems to be adjusting well to his new pen. He seems to be particularly fond of a new high perch that’s been installed, giving him the ability to peer into the pens of his neighbors. He continues to eat well; no additional beak-trimming is necessary at this point.

#08-0887’s neighbor to the north is Junior, a Golden Eagle. His neighbor to the south is Scarlette, a Red-tailed Hawk. Both are long-time residents of the Wildlife Center.

Meet the neighbors …

Junior ...

... and Scarlette

UPDATE: March 11, 2009

UPDATE: February 4, 2009

Some recent photographs of Eagle #08-887 in one of the Center’s large flight pens. [Yes, that IS a Christmas tree in the background in some of the photos. Center rehabilitators have placed undecorated trees in outdoor pens for environmental enrichment and variety].

UPDATE: November 13 2008

The Norfolk eagle (patient number 08-0887) was becoming increasingly excited (bordering on aggressive) about his daily meal, so the rehabilitation staff felt some training was in order. As the bird has a decreased fear of humans, Wildlife Center rehabilitators have been working to train the bird to fly back to his A-frame perch [located in the rear of his pen] and wait patiently until given the “OK” command, at which point his meal is tossed into the enclosure. Because he is so highly food motivated, the eagle learned this behavior in only two sessions.

Daily feeding schedules go as follows. Rehabbers arrive with the food at the enclosure door. The bird begins to get excited and comes to the door to meet the staff, looking for food. The command “Get back” is given with a hand motion gesturing the same meaning. Staff members then wait until the eagle retreats to the A-frame. If the bird does not do as he is asked we then say “whoops” and wait patiently until he moves back – or until enough time has passed and we can try the command again.

Once the eagle is on his A-frame perch the “wait” command is given. The bird is then expected to stay on the perch until staff members can safely open the door and throw in the food.

Finally, the “Okay” command is given with the delivery of food to the cage. This is the cue that he can obtain his reward (dinner). This is the same protocol that Center staff have taken with other highly food motivated birds of prey. Eagle 887 seems to be very eager to oblige if it means he will get his dinner.

It should be noted that techniques such as these have been used for centuries by falconers. It in no way erases natural behaviors or that “killer instinct” in captive wild birds of prey.

UPDATE: September 5 2008

The Norfolk Bald Eagle [#08-887] seems to have come through last week’s beak-trim procedure well. He ate his dinner that evening – no problems – and continues to do well on his once-a-day feeding schedule. We’re feeding him mice and rats – some chopped, and some whole. He does well with both.

As part of last week’s Dremel procedure, a blood sample was pulled for a CBC [complete blood count] test. The results were normal.

Unless we see a loss of appetite or some other health issue, we’re only going to weigh 08-887 every 14 days or so. His weight has stabilized, and it’s gotten more difficult to gather him up for weighing.

UPDATE: August 19 2008

During the past week or so, there’s been some concern about the Norfolk Bald Eagle’s eating. There have been times when the eagle has been a “fussy” eater. The rehabilitation staff continues to work to find an appropriate menu and feeding schedule for the bird.

On Sunday, for example, the eagle’s meal included a day-old chick. – offered as a nutritional supplement and to provide some variety.

On Monday the rehabilitation staff decided to try moving the eagle to a once-a-day feeding of about eight mice. [Eagles at the Wildlife Center are generally fed once a day]. Eight mice [chopped in half] were left for the eagle in the afternoon. The eagle moved his food to his “eating” block [one of two cinderblocks supporting a low perch]; by Tuesday all of the mice were gone.

The eagle’s weight has stabilized at just under 3.3 kgs [about 7 pounds] – which seems appropriate for a male eagle nearly four months old.

UPDATE: August 15 2008

The Wildlife Center’s wildlife rehabilitators – Suzy Doell, Tracy Marshal, and Dani Stumbo – and Rehabilitation Supervisor Amanda Nicholson share responsibility for the care and feeding of the Norfolk Bald Eagle … as well as the scores of other animals that are patients at the Wildlife Center.

The Norfolk Bald Eagle is currently in an outdoor enclosure [approximate dimensions 8 x 14 feet] with a number of perches at different heights. Other Bald Eagle patients are housed nearby.

The eagle is currently being fed twice a day – morning and afternoon. The rehab staff usually drop off six to eight mice on a large flat rock; larger mice are cut in half. Occasionally a few fish pieces are mixed in. This is about 50 percent more food than is currently being provided to other eagles being treated at the Center.

On August 13 the staff left a whole rat for the eagle – a rat that had not been cut up. The eagle first ate the head. Later in the day the staff returned to find only the rat skin and tail – good news as it indicates that the bird was able to rip and tear up food.

The rehabilitation staff is experimenting with a motion-activated “game cam”. The following images provide some insights into the afternoon of August 14 with Patient #08-887.

In early afternoon, the eagle spent some time stretching his wings and preening.


[+] The eaglet stretching and preening		[+] The eaglet stretching and preening

[+] The eaglet stretching and preening

[+] Dani Stumbo placing a whole rat atop the a-frame

Just after 2:30 p.m. Dani Stumbo placed a whole rat atop the small “a-frame”.

[+] The eaglet with his snack

The eagle later took the rat back to a cinder block toward the back of the enclosure.

[+] The Norfolk Botanical Garden eaglet

The rehabbers report that he seems to have a special affinity for eating food off of the block; food that has been left on other spots throughout his enclosure sometimes ends up back on that block.