Kiwi eggs are cause for celebration at the Zoo and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

If not, she will try the training at another time when he is in the mood to participate. If he chooses to participate, Heather rewards him with a treat. A main component of positive reinforcement training is choice the heron can choose to voluntarily climb on the scale or walk away. In this photo, animal keeper Heather Anderson is coaxing a black-crowned night heron onto a scale in its enclosure. Instead, we rely on positive reinforcement training to get weekly or monthly weights on them.

Since feathers obscure birdsвЂ™ bodies, it is difficult to observe visually if a bird is gaining or losing weight. Our birds receive frequent check-ups from the ZooвЂ™s veterinarians, but animal keepers are on the front lines of monitoring the birdsвЂ™ daily health. Holding woodpeckers can require steely resolve because they try to peck at your hand! And, holding a tiny ruby-throated hummingbird, like this one in animal keeper Liz FisherвЂ™s hand, requires a light, delicate touch. Holding large birds like parrots and owls can take bravery. Performing a hands-on exam is a good way to get a close look at them. The condition of a birdвЂ™s feathers can offer keepers a window into their health and well-being. Assistant curator Eric Slovak gives a sneak peek into a day in the life of a Bird House keeper, from training animals, to monitoring their health, to providing them with engaging and enriching habitats and much more! Evaluating Feathers Although renovations to transform the building into the brand new Experience Migration exhibit are well underway, keepers are hard at work behind the scenes. Caring for manyВ bird species-from the itty bitty indigo bunting to the giant greater rhea-is all in a dayвЂ™s work for Bird House keepers at the SmithsonianвЂ™s National Zoo.

Keeper of the day and night demo