VISIT TO <SANITIZED>RE BASIC BIRD SUPPORT CAPABILITY, <SANITIZED>AND STAFF

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Animal Partners
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06527550
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: September 6, 2019
• Document Release Date: September 12, 2019
• Publication Date: May 16, 1974

Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 C0-6-525071-61-
�
CONFi 11141
ORD-2007,74
16 May 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT:
REFERENCE:
Visit
Capability,
ORD-1992-74 (Progress Report #1)
Re Basic Bird Support
1. The attached Progress Report accurately represents the R&D
that has taken place since the recent initiation of the contract. As
planned, bird procurement and facility construction has constituted
the primary activity. Both efforts have exceeded expectations. As
indicated in the referenced report, bird capture required more than
2,000 miles travelling in remote regions with improvised techniques for
capture. The addition to the staff of a former employee of the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department has aided considerably in bird procurement
and initial domestication. The expected hiring of :who
has an M.S. degree in Ornithology) will provide valuable scientitic
assistance to the project. The bird holding and training facilities
have been expanded considerably--largely at company expenses. Photos
of the new facilities are being provided. The sensory discrimination
experiments are currently underway, and two red-tailed hawks have been
conditioned to respond to a 6 Hz tone and to discriminate a triangle
from other random geometric figures. Response generalization to these
stimuli will be evaluated in accordance with the bird's conditioning
rate.
2. The proposed experimental program was discussed with
and his staff. The program includes laboratory studies of target cue
discrimination (both auditory and visual) as well as field training for
generalization from a building model or simulation to a real life-size
building in an environment to which the bird has never been exposed.
It is task,on the basis of our discussion, to write up the
experimental program in detail and to forward same to sponsor for
final approval.
WARNING NOIICE
ttSI1tViNIELIIGENCE SOURCES
ANO IHODS INVOIVED
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PL�)
SUBJECT: Visit to
Capability,
and Staff -
e Basic Bird Support
3. Taking all factors into consideration, there are no apparent
problems associated with the project, and current progress is ahead of
schedule.
Attachment:
ORD-1992-74
� Distribution:
Original - LSR & D/ORD
1 - LSR CHRONO
1 - ORD REG.
BR/ORD/DD/S&Ty
;3658
2
T1AL
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Pc'ect 13.-3951-001
Progress Report #1
March 18 - April 18, 1974
CIRJ) # E2271
LEARNING BEHAVIOR OF BIRDS BY STIMULUS GENERALIZATION
Most of the effort during the first month was expended in collection
of raptors. The present inventory includes two Red Tail Hawks, four
Harris Hawks and four Great Hroned Owl eyess. in
one telephone conversation stated that he will be able to supply us with
two Red Tails that are conditioned to controlled flight, is
interested in the Prairie Falcon and indicates that it might be equal to
or superior to the Peale Falcon. The Peale Falcon is the maritime
species of the Peregrine and is on the endangered species list. Through
a reference in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department we obtained the
name of Ornithologist, for contact
as a Prairie Falcon supplier. In a telephone conversation with
he seemed willing to send us two Prairie Falcon eyess in about 30 days.
Moreover, he volunteered to send us tow Lanner Falcons for conditioning
behavior experiments and for audio frequency testing.
We have requested the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to
modify our permit to increase the number of raptor species to include
several falcons and the Black Headed Vulture. We also have conversed
with the Department of Interior concerning issuing of a Federal permit.
Applications are forthcoming. We have covered an area from South of
Austin, Texas to Laredo, Texas on a belt approximately 50 miles wide
� in the pursuit of birds. The estimated number of miles covered was
2,000.
To help us in the collection of birds and in training exercise we
employed a former employee of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
and are presently making arrangements with
in Ornithology to join us in early June.
Our plans are to increase the number of Harris Hawks, Red Tails
(eyess and adults) and to obtain black headed vultures and falcons.
A muse for containment of owls is near completion. Two flyways
or operant conditioning indoor areas have been completed. We have
managed to maintain a continuous supply of mice for use in nutrition of
birds and for positive reinforcement of behavior.
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Presently we are in the process of conditioning two Red Tail
Hawks to fly 20 feet from a perch to a black triangular target paired
with a tone at 6,500 hertz. The speaker is located at the target site.
These birds are responsive and are at the stage of conditioning where
discrimination training can be practiced.
L
Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 C06527550