In this heartfelt and insight-packed episode, Hillary Hankey sits down with winter intern Levi Soucek, a wildlife rehabilitator, educator, and outreach coordinator at the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center. Levi reflects on her transformative 12-week internship at the Avian Behavior Ranch, sharing how hands-on progressive training experiences reshaped not only her approach to ambassador bird care—but also reignited her passion for the work.

We explore:

What it means to truly train with positive reinforcement (beyond the buzzwords)
The power of choice-based training and offering degrees of freedom
Levi's "aha" moments while working with challenging birds like a Great Horned Owl and Andean Condor
How foundational concepts finally clicked in real time
Practical takeaways she's bringing back to her rehab center—from training strategy to team communication

This episode is also a reflection on team dynamics, mentorship, emotional labor in animal care, and what it means to feel valued and connected in your work. Whether you're a rehabber, falconer, educator, or companion parrot trainer, Levi's story will leave you inspired, informed, and energized to take your own training to the next level.

You, too, can become a member of the Avian Behavior Lab. Start off with a free 14 day trial with coupon code AVIAN

78 Bridging the Gap: What Rehabbers Can Learn from Progressive Bird Training