The Rocky Mountain Raptor Program runs a structured training program for those who wish to work with the raptors. Advancement through the levels depends on your level of participation, your comfort level, your progress, and your effectiveness in working with the birds.

Your training will focus on the most efficient and safest methods of interacting with these often unpredictable, wild animals. At all levels, you will learn to understand bird behavior, health diagnostics, and become sensitive to potentially dangerous situations. Safety of people and raptors is paramount.

At the orientation meeting, you can sign up for a mentoring session where a highly experienced teacher will demonstrate the basics of caring for our birds, giving you a controlled, hands-on opportunity to practice what you're learning. Following this initial session, you will become a Level T - for Trainee.  You then begin your training on Level H tasks.

Level H (Husbandry)

As a Level H Trainee, you will learn how to safely clean cages, prepare food, feed birds, and maintain the work environment. You will work with other, more experienced volunteers who will be there to help you progress. When you have successfully met the experience requirements at this level and you feel comfortable working with our birds, you may focus on training for educational handling , medical care, or both.

Education Ambassador Handling

Level E1 (Education) – How to handle our permanently disabled Education Ambassador birds, including jessing, unjessing, fisting, and feeding.

Levels E2-6 – When comfortable with the various smaller raptors, you can advance to the handling of larger and more challenging raptors, including eagles.

Medical Tasks, Catching And Restraining Active Case Birds

Level M1 – How to handle active-case birds of prey, including catching, medicating, conducting physical therapy, weighing, cleaning feet, and conducting complete medical exams.

Level M2-M3 – Handling and caring for our active-case eagles.