13 Extreme Falconry: Free Flight with Harris's Hawks Part 2

Animal Training Fundamentals with Barbara Heidenreich

Join me for Part 2 of my fascinating interview with animal training pioneer Al Kordowski. Although the basis of our conversation is falconry with Harris’s hawks, Al’s background brings us to some of the early days of marine mammal training. He shares his experiences from working with a wide variety of species, including killer whales, when the animal training industry was rapidly evolving. Learn how cross species experience translates into free flight and how it can level up one’s skills. We also cover topics such as teaching animals to pay attention to specific signals such as cues and markers and how do you know what the animal is attending to? This also ties into discussions about the importance of teaching basic skills. Al also has extensive experience working in the service dog industry in which they developed and used temperament testing to match the right animal for the desired role. We discuss how this applies to the zoological field and falconry. We also discuss the merging of practical application and academia. It was another robust interview! I also answer your questions about dominance and have a special deal to help animal training enthusiasts make the most of the current situation.