Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

1 The Advantages of Trick Training Your Parrot.

Benefits to You.

Benefits to Your Bird.

Socialization.

Making Life Easier.

A New Experience for You.

Bird Ambassadorship: Getting Out with Your Parrot.

Keep Your Expectations in Check.

2 Preparations for Training.

Early-Bird Training.

Tameness Scale.

Any Age Bird Can Be Trained.

The Training Area.

Training Rewards for Your Bird.

Food as a Training Tool.

Training Sessions.

How Many Trainers?

Trimming Wing Feathers.

The T-Stand.

3 Training Basics.

Targeting.

Shaping a Behavior.

Physical Assistance (Molding).

Luring.

Capturing a Behavior.

Clicker Training.

Operant Conditioning.

Partial Extinction.

Cues: Verbal and Physical.

Generalizing.

4 Necessary Obedience Skills (Husbandry Behaviors).

Step Up.

Come and Perch.

Stay.

Go to Your Cage.

Potty Training.

Nail Trimming.

Wing Trimming.

Getting into a Carrier.

Toweling.

Moving from Place to Place.

5 Tricks That Don’t Require Props.

First Training Lessons.

The Turn Around.

The Wave.

Shake Hands.

Review of First Training Session.

High Five.

The Kiss.

Nod Head Yes.

Shake Head No.

Take a Bow.

Big Eagle.

Flap Wings.

6 Teaching the Basic Retrieve Command.

First Retrieve Lessons.

Bring It to Me.

Planning Ahead for Other Tricks.

Moving the Object Around.

Card Tricks.

7 Simple Tricks Based on the Retrieve.

Basketball.

Wastepaper into a Wastepaper Basket.

Recycling.

Ring on the Peg.

Rings on the Peg by Color.

Rings on the Peg by Size.

Ring on Your Finger.

Lei on a Doll.

Stacking Cups.

Coins in a Bank.

Letter in a Mailbox.

Puzzle Board—Learning Shapes.

The Shell Game.

Ringing a Hanging Bell.

Retrieving a Dumbbell.

Retrieving a Dumbell Over a Hurdle.

Lifting a Barbell.

8 Advanced Tricks Based on the Retrieve.

Pulling a Pull Toy.

Pulling a Wagon.

Variations of Pulling a Wagon.

Pushing a Grocery Cart.

Pushing a Baby Carriage.0

Pushing a Ball.

Bowling.

Soccer.

Rolling Out a Carpet.

Raising a Flag.

Carrying a Banner or a Rod.

Changing a Marquee.

Displaying a Sign.

Putting a Hat on a Rack.

Opening a Mailbox.

Riding a Scooter.

Riding a Skateboard.

Turning a Crank.

9 Miscellaneous Tricks.

Playing Dead.

Rolling Over.

Somersault.

Headstand on Table.

Headstand on Hand.

Climbing a Ladder.

Climbing a Rope or a Pole.

Sliding Down a Pole.

Climbing Rings.

Hauling Up a Bucket.

Jumping Through a Hoop.

Ringing a Service Bell.

Skating.

Riding a Bicycle.

10 Innovative Tricks.

Hopping.

Scratching Head.

Placing Object Under Wing.

Putting Foot to Beak.

Dancing, Bobbing, and Weaving.

Stretching.

Nodding Head Yes.

Shaking Head No.

Raising the Ruff or Neck Feathers.

11 Chaining Tricks.

Putting It All Together.

Still More . . . .

Final Touches.

Chains of Tricks.

12 Verbalizations and Talking.

You Are Already Training Your Parrot.

Training Your Parrot to Talk.

Once More, with Meaning.

Talking Back.

The Model/Rival Method.

The Positive Reward Method.

Expectations.

13 Making Props.

Using Props.

Getting Assistance.

Making Your Own Props.

T-Stand or Training Perch.

Floor Stand.

Table Perch.

Ring on the Peg.

Puzzle Board.

Basketball Hoop.

Shell Game.

Piggy Bank.

Barbell/Dumbbell.

Soccer Field.

Hat Rack.

Afterword.

Appendix A: Resources.

Appendix B: Places You Can See Performing Birds.

Appendix C: Glossary.

Index.

About the Authors.