Introducing
The Bird Experience

The goal of the Northern Colorado Bird Center is to create enthusiasm for our world of birds. There are many ways to attempt this and different people respond to each method. We can take everyone out to a nature center and hope to see some wildlife, use pictures or video of nature, teach lots of biology and natural history, and we can even bring nature into the classroom.

Once a person has developed a great interest in birds and wildlife, they are then receptive to biology rich talks and long treks in natures. But the spark for this interest usually comes from a much more personal and often entertaining experience. NCBC focuses on creating this spark to help people begin the journey of learning, caring and conserving nature.

We developed a fun, entertaining and educational show to bring this spark to schools, businesses and community groups. The show is called “The Bird Experience” and features several birds from around the world. Some of the birds show off their unique natural talents and others fly right over the heads of those watching. Audience members also get the chance to participate in the show and interact with these magnificent birds.

Currently The Bird Experience features a Cockatoo, Rook, Pigeon, Toucan and Ring-necked Parrot.

Improve Your Training Skills!

The birds at NCBC are all trained using positive reinforcement methods following the principals and science of Applied Behavior Analysis. Using these methods allows the birds to have more choices, which leads to more enriching lives. We do not force the birds to do the behaviors during the show, we simply reinforce the behaviors we want and they learn what to do. The birds actually seem to enjoy training sessions and shows, which is one of our goals in doing these shows.

If you would like to learn more about training animals using positive reinforcement and Applied Behavior Analysis, please contact us about our training consultations.

We offer workshops in behavior and training for the classroom, veterinary clinic, corporate training, pet owners and even for those interested in a career working with animals. You will gain information and experience to work with any animal (including humans), not just birds.

Watch for upcoming workshops for pet owners, wildlife rehabilitators and veterinary professionals on our website.

Meet Our Birds: Luna

NCBC has an exciting new member for the Bird Experience show. Luna is a Swainson’s Toucan, also known as a Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan. All toucans are from Central and South America and are frugivores, or fruit eating birds. The long bill is very light weight and helps toucans reach fruit in the rainforest trees.

Luna came to NCBC from a living museum in North Carolina where she tormented the other birds too much. Come see Luna at one of our next Bird Experience shows or Behavior Workshops.

Bath Garden Center Honors the Birds!

Many bird lovers have enjoyed being at Bath Garden Center the weekend between the NFL playoffs and the Superbowl. For 16 years, Bath has hosted Avian Appreciation Days, and each year has been a great success. This event has been set aside for the groups who work with and support birds in many aspects. There are wild bird rehabilitators, researchers, and conservationists. Proud 4-H kids show their waterfowl, and parrot owners teach the public about taking care of them as pets.

This year the Thunderbirds, a group of parrots trained by John Vincent, entertained audiences. After each show, Andy Hall offered the audience a chance to support a research project on Maroon-Fronted Parrots in Mexico. Our Rook, Horton, made the support easy by taking dollar bills from audience members and depositing them in her donation bucket. This money will be given to IdeaWild to buy field guides to help inventory the biodiversity in an area being considered for protection in Mexico. Maroon-Fronted Parrots are a flagship species here.

Avian Appreciation Days will hopefully go on for many more years, so be sure to catch it next year at the end of January. Thank you to Bath Garden Center and to all those who attended this year!