Original upload date: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT
Archive date: Sat, 30 Oct 2021 20:53:27 GMT
This behavior won the IAATE (www.iaate.org) Show Behavior of the Year award at the Feb 2012 conference in Minneapolis, MN. Cascades Raptor Center (Eugene, OR) acquired two White-tailed Kites (Elanus l
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eucurus) six years ago. One of our long-term goals with these two birds was to demonstrate the unique "kiting" behavior of this group of raptors. Unlike a hover, the "kite" is a head-up position with the body perpendicular to the ground. In the wild, the White-tailed Kite will kite from location to location, searching for mice (their preferred food item). Initially, we trained both kites to jump to the glove for food on cue. Once they understood that they were reinforced for jumping to the glove, trainers would walk into their space, glove lowered, waiting for behaviors to be presented. The kites soon began offering behaviors and trainers quickly reinforced for small increments of the desired final kiting behavior. After some time, the kites would jump from the perch and kite in front of the trainer. The behavior then was transferred to a cue, and kiting behavior was only reinforced when it was cued for by the trainer. Once the behavior was on cue, it was done in new locations around the property until it debuted publicly at CRC Earth Day Members' Event in April, 2011. The kites have also done the behavior off-site. This behavior is exciting because it is a unique hunting method not seen in many raptors. Audience members are able to observe the fascinating wing and body movements of this species, which is difficult to observe up close in the wild. This is a natural behavior, is educational, and increases our audiences' interest in White-tailed Kite habitat conservation; a pressing concern for this species.