Wednesday was a picturesque, sunny day and I asked Aldo the American Kestrel to step on my glove. He readily hopped on and we circled the building to reach the perch by the Museum's front door. I tied off Aldo's leash to the perch and found a comfortable seat nearby, ready to relax in the sun.
But Aldo was not relaxed. His feathers were slicked down against his body. He crouched with his wings held tensely and his attention jerked back and forth at every sound. I couldn't tell what was bothering him, but he was clearly not happy to be there. I waited a few minutes for him to calm down, but he continued to act alarmed.
I couldn't pass up the chance for Aldo to bask in the sun, so I decided to try a different location. I scooped up Aldo and the perch and headed to the backyard. As soon as he stepped back onto the perch he buried his beak behind a wing to preen. His feathers were fluffed out like he didn't have a care in the world.
The simple change of venue made all the difference in Aldo's experience outside. What started as a tense, stressful situation became a relaxing moment to enjoy the sun. He may not be able to tell me in English how he's feeling, but careful observation of his body language helps me make sure that Aldo is having a positive experience.
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