Best Macaws Podcasts (2025)

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True Story of The Seven Feathers: Macaw Medicine and Awakening 14:38

Play Pause

21d ago14:38

14:38

Shaman Jon Rasmussen presents the true spiritual awakening story of his mentor Dr. Geneie Everett, a former critical care nurse who sought healing through Native American ceremonies after a traumatic childhood. Her path began when a desperate prayer for life direction prompted her skeptical aunt to be divinely mandated to procure specific ceremonia…

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How do you give a personal name to an Andean Bear, a Desert Locust and a Great Green Macaw 13:35

29d ago13:35

13:35

On episode 7, Jess and David reveal how hard it has been to name the podcast and yet naming a real animal is really easy. Jess plays David's 'Personal Name Guessing Game' and hears about an Andean Bear, a Desert Locust and a Great Green Macaw on route to the reveal.By Jess Blake and David Robinson

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The 12 Animals of Christmas Part 1 13:30

6h ago13:30

13:30

Merry Christmas. On this podcast, we explore the '12 Animals of Christmas' based on the well known festive song. We learn about the animals 1 to 6...By Jess Blake and David Robinson

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The Real Mystery of the Nativity Animals 15:25

7d ago15:25

15:25

In episode 10, we answer the question... what animals were really at the nativity? David asks Jess to remember the animal-related lines of Christmas carols + we re-create on an audio adventure how the night of Jesus' birth might have been for poor Mary. Use of BBC Sound Effects library for the purposes of non-advertised and educational reasons only…

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Is Earth the Sanitarium of the Universe for Aliens? 11:25

13d ago11:25

11:25

The provided text, an excerpt from a blog post titled "Is Earth the Sanitarium of the Universe for Aliens?," explores the speculative theory that Earth functions as a type of universal penal colony or mental institution for aliens and evolving souls. The author, Jon Rasmussen, references Gnostic teachers like Sylvia Browne and his own Q’ero shamani…

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Lights, Camera, Reindeer 16:53

15d ago16:53

16:53

On episode 9, we hear about the heart-warming Christmas movie 'Prancer' that Jess acted in with a real reindeer. Jess provides a behind the scenes insight into how the movie was made and how the reindeer flourished in the role.By Jess Blake and David Robinson

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The Relationship Between Music and the Animal Kingdom 15:34

22d ago15:34

15:34

On episode 8, David explains how he wrote the 'Animal Nonsense' music. Jess plays the sound round and tries to recognise the animal muse of 3 classical composers. Jess remembers working at Battersea Dogs Home and we explore if cows really enjoy jazz music.By Jess Blake and David Robinson

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Presence: The True Measure of Life's Longevity 12:58

23d ago12:58

12:58

This excerpt from Jon Rasmussen's blog article explores the concept of real longevity, arguing that chronological age is less important than the quality and amount of time a person spends completely present in the moment. Prompted by the tragic passing of his 61-year-old friend, the author, Jon Rasmussen asserts that those who master presence can o…

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Jon Rasmussen Hosts Mark Sinclair Fleeton Discussing AI and Consciousness 1:15:20

1M ago1:15:20

1:15:20

Is consciousness something that exists within us, or can it manifest through technology? In our latest episode, we tackle profound questions about AI, creativity, and the nature of consciousness. 🎤✨ Can AI become a new medium for consciousness, or is it just a tool? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Do you think we’re ready for this conversation? 🌌 …

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The Macaw Show - Michael Conner 38:15

1M ago38:15

38:15

Welcome back to the Macaw show! Today we are joined by business coach Michael Conner. A great show to get conversations started again.By Sanna Phillips

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Are we Asking the Wrong Question about AI Becoming Conscious and Sentient? Or Is a Better Question to Ask “Can Consciousness Use AI to Communicate Through?” 12:39

1M ago12:39

12:39

An article by Shaman Jon Rasmussen explores an alternative perspective on the relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and consciousness, suggesting that the focus should shift from whether AI can become conscious to whether non-physical consciousness can use AI as a communication channel. The author, drawing on his experience as a shaman,…

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Otter Nonsense 13:43

1M ago13:43

13:43

On episode 6, Jess tells David about her recent visit to the Oceanarium in Lisbon and we discuss the pros and cons of having animals in captivity. Jess explains how the sea otter has the fluffiest fur of any animal and how it eats 1/3 of it's own body weight every day. They also float together in 'rafts'.…

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Children In Need. The Bear Essentials 16:07

1M ago16:07

16:07

On episode 5, we remember the BBC Children In Need mascot Pudsey Bear. I also show Jess a photo of the original 'Sooty' I recently saw on the North Pier in Blackpool. We learn about the relationship between President Theodore Roosevelt and 'teddy' and the reason a Priest thought the bear would result in the end of the human race.…

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How the dogs rescued Hollywood 17:08

2M ago17:08

17:08

On episode 4, we reminisce about our relationship with Jess' dog, remember our first real encounters with dog, Blue Peter and learn how dogs rescued Hollywood.By Jess Blake and David Robinson

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The Macaw Show - Corey Lambert 41:16

2M ago41:16

41:16

A great show to get conversations started again.By Sanna Phillips

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Halloween. The Stuff of Nightmares 15:48

2M ago15:48

15:48

On episode 2 being released on Halloween, hear about animals that really are the 'stuff of nightmares'. We explore vulture bees, butcher birds, and the spotted ragged toothed shark. These creatures will make your blood run cold.By Jess Blake and David Robinson

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Halloween. Vampire Disco Squid From Hell 14:43

2M ago14:43

14:43

On episode 1, in honour of Halloween, hear about the 'Vampyroteuthis Infernalis' - or as Jess dubbed it 'the Vampire Disco Squid From Hell'. Learn about how they protect themselves and bring some much needed colour to the deepest ocean.By Jess Blake and David Robinson

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Halloween. Mice, spiders and bird noises. 15:14

2M ago15:14

15:14

On episode 3 on Halloween, we explore our real encounters with the animals that really frighten us including mice and spiders. Also, Jess brings in a noise round of the most unsettling bird noises.By Jess Blake and David Robinson

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Hip dysplasia 6:42

2M ago6:42

6:42

By Dr. Sarah

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Shamanic Christianity: Jesus and Aramaic Wisdom 17:09

2M ago17:09

17:09

The text presents an argument by Shaman Jon Rasmussen for the compatibility of shamanism and Christianity, specifically his personal faith in Jesus Christ, whom he regards as his ultimate protector and wisdom guide. Rasmussen asserts that true shamanism is an open system focused on healing and alignment with Nature and the Universe, which does not …

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Using the Destiny Retrieval Journey to Create the Tarot of the Future Cards and Book 12:58

2M ago12:58

12:58

The source material is an excerpt from "Shamanic Inspiration for the Tarot of the Future," in which author Jon Rasmussen explains the motivation and process behind creating his insight card deck and companion book. Rasmussen frames the work within a shamanic context, detailing how shamans work to improve people's lives by addressing influences on t…

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The Macaw Show - Cole and Ella 28:07

4M ago28:07

28:07

Welcome back to the Macaw Show! This episode we are joined by Cole and Ella and we play some fun games as we get ready to go back to school! A great show to get conversations started again. A great show to get conversations started again.By Sanna Phillips

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Episode 300: Follow Your Bliss (with everyone, including your Mom) 51:44

4M ago51:44

51:44

In this super secret, extra special bonus episode (actually episode 281, but Chris needed a good round number to end on), Ari rallied as many of Chris’s colleagues, friends, and family as she could, with help from his wife Bethany, to share messages of congrats on his new role as Executive Director of the Virginia Zoo, and a little about how he’s i…

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Episode 280: Thank You All For Everything (featuring EVERYONE!) 51:19

4M ago51:19

51:19

This is it, the last official episode of the NEI TEC Talk Podcast (at least for now)! With Chris headed off to his new position as Executive Director of the Virginia Zoo, he and Ari decided it was time to sunset the NEI TEC Talk Podcast. After nearly 300 episodes, countless incredible guests, and so many conversations about training, enrichment, an…

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Episode 279: Big Changes in TEC Land (with Dr Grey Stafford, Zoo Logic) 31:06

4M ago31:06

31:06

Some announcements are so big that you have to bring in another podcast to help make them. Chris and Ari join Dr Grey Stafford on his incredible show, Zoo Logic, to talk about some big personal changes and what they will mean for our show. We want to thank each and every listener who's been with us since we started this thing in 2020, and hope you …

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Episode 278: Kids These Days Say The Darndest Things (with Michael Van Horne, Natural Encounters, Inc.) 40:37

4M ago40:37

40:37

Ari sits down with NEI's own Michael Van Horne this week to chat about what it's like being a young person in the field. Michael talks about his time at college and his philosophy to help him focus on his own growth while supporting his teammates. He also helps Ari with some Gen Alpha slang and they wrap it all up with the latest NEI team building …

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Episode 277: All Animals Can Speak, We Just Need to Learn to Listen (with Sarah Bonser-Blake, Wild Welfare) 50:47

5M ago50:47

50:47

Ari and Chris are joined by their first guest who's had David Attenborough attend their graduation (at least as far as we know): Sarah Bonser-Blake, Animal Welfare Field Manager with Wild Welfare! Sarah shares the journey she's taken from getting paid to point at whales to her current role making real change in people that makes change for animals,…

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Episode 276: The Art and Science of Outcome-Based Animal Welfare (with Jessica Sheftel, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance) 51:50

5M ago51:50

51:50

Ari and Chris continue their journey of collecting more amazing people from around the professional animal care world to add to the "NEEU" (Natural Encounters Expanded Universe), and are pleased to be joined by Jessica Sheftel, Applied Wildlife Welfare Manager at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance! Jessica shares her path from collecting behavior data…

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Episode 275: Fly-Aways, Swim-Offs, and Reboots (with Ryne Ferguson and Ayrton King, Animal Talk Podcast) 47:14

5M ago47:14

47:14

Ari and Chris are absolutely chuffed to be joined by two amazing gentlemen from South Africa, Ryne Ferguson and Ayrton King, co-hosts of the rebooted Animal Talk Podcast! Ryne talks about his long history with NEI, how our podcast inspired him to start his own, and how the idea to reboot the show with a new aquarist cohost came about after a 5 year…

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Episode 274: Let's Hope They All Talk About This Over Dinner Tonight (with The Reptile Department of The St Augustine Alligator Farm) 1:01:58

5M ago1:01:58

1:01:58

With Chris out of commission after being a pressure washing hero at work and mayyyyybe overdoing it a bit, Ari takes the helm and is joined by Dan Carvalho, Lydia Dresel, Jordan Garella, Steven Sibley, and Luis Cortes from the Reptile Department of the St Augustine Alligator Farm! The team talks about their amazing dynamics and inside jokes, and th…

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Episode 273: I Guess I'm Gonna Do Fish Stuff (with Melissa Paynter, Georgia Aquarium) 38:52

6M ago38:52

38:52

You KNOW we love talking about training animals that people don't always think of when they think about animal training, so we are thrilled to welcome Melissa Paynter to the show! Mel shares the path that took her from the Moorpark Program to her current role as Assistant Curator of Ocean Journey at Georgia Aquarium, why fish training right now is …

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Beat the Heat! Summer Supplements & Safety for Birds 56:26

6M ago56:26

56:26

In this episode, we sit down with Lea from NEKTON to talk all things summer bird care, from avoiding heat stress in parrots and other birds to smart supplement strategies that can make a big difference in the summer. Parrots don’t sweat, and hot days, especially during heat waves, can be dangerous if you’re not prepared. We cover the key signs of h…

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Episode 272: If You Want Them To Care, They First Have To Know You Care (with Dan Blair) 43:57

6M ago43:57

43:57

Chris and Ari are thrilled to be joined on the show by NEI Alumnus Dan Blair! Dan catches us up on his current zoo role as Curator of Birds, and shares his thoughts on the two kinds of respect, what's surprised him most about transitioning from the role of animal trainer to curator, the unique challenge of being brought in as a new cog in an existi…

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Episode 271: Happy Jamón Day! (with the Bird and Mammal Team, St. Augustine Alligator Farm) 53:40

6M ago53:40

53:40

Are SEVEN people too many to have on a podcast?? Not when it's the Bird and Mammal Team from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm! Chris and Ari are joined by Hannah Caster, Jessie Stull, Jordan Hoover, Ramon Castillo, and Shelby McBride to talk about what makes up a cohesive team, the unsung role of the swing keeper, and figuring out the best ways to …

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Episode 270: The Portal, The Tube, and The Assisted Lift (with Anaka Nazareth, National Aquarium) 45:22

6M ago45:22

45:22

Chris and Ari are joined by fellow training enthusiast Anaka Nazareth, Behavioral Husbandry Coordinator at the National Aquarium! Anaka shares the path that took her from America to Austria (a few times) before settling back on the East Coast and eventually into her current role in Baltimore, where she oversees the training of a lot of our favorite…

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Distemper 5:06

6M ago5:06

5:06

By Dr. Sarah

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Episode 269: The "Ponies, Sparkles, and Rainbows" Side of HR (with Dr Taylor Gilley, Houston Zoo) 41:05

7M ago41:05

41:05

Chris is joined by NEI's new (but also not really new) Director of Staff Development, Training, and Shows - Ari Bailey - to welcomes Dr Taylor Gilley back to the show! Taylor shares the path that took her from the education world to her current role as Director of Staff Learning and Development at Houston Zoo, and guides us through a great conversa…

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Episode 268: A Podcast About A Podcast (Radical Candor's "Leading Through Chaos With Stephanie Chung") 38:37

7M ago38:37

38:37

In another in our series of podcasts about other podcasts, Ari and Chris share their thoughts on a recent episode of the Radical Candor podcast with Kim Scott, featuring their guest Stephanie Chung. Chris recently started reading her book "Ally Leadership: How to Lead People Who Are Not Like You," which gets a great overview in the podcast, and giv…

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Episode 267: Observe, Interpret, Improve (with Joey Golden, Maryland Zoo) 50:44

7M ago50:44

50:44

Ari and Chris are back together and excited to be joined by Joey Golden, Curator of Animal Behavior Programs at Maryland Zoo! Chris and Joey both attended the recent ABMA and ISZAW conferences, and we wanted to bring him on to chat about the great presentations he gave about his zoo's progress towards "24/7 welfare" for all their animals. We chat a…

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Parrot Kindergarten: Teaching Birds to Talk with Tech & Trust 1:54:34

7M ago1:54:34

1:54:34

What happens when science, compassion, technology and a parrot come together? In this episode, we sit down with Jen, who took a groundbreaking approach to teaching birds how to communicate using tablets and touchscreens! Her birds are the first documented parrots that can READ AND WRITE!! We explore how to truly understand your bird’s emotions, rec…

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Episode 266: Pursue Your Calling! (with Scott Trauger, Supervisor Emeritus, Natural Encounters, Inc.) 32:04

7M ago32:04

32:04

While Chris is away at the International Symposium for Zoo Animal Welfare in Chicago, Ari is hosting solo—but she’s not alone! She’s joined by former (but also still current) NEI teammate Scott Trauger, who shares what life has been like since he made the big leap to follow his passion outside the animal field. From spreadsheets to showtunes, hear …

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Episode 265: Using Communities to Create Opportunities 43:13

8M ago43:13

43:13

Ari catches us up on her time at Croc School before our hosts tackle an email asking for ideas about how to create opportunities in the professional animal care field for yourself when 1) you've moved somewhere where the immediately employment opportunities might be limited - or non-existent - or 2) you've taken a temporary break from the field and…

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Episode 264: What Does It Mean To "Prioritize Training"? (Live from the 2025 ABMA Annual Conference) 35:26

8M ago35:26

35:26

Ari Bailey is busy doing cool reptile stuff at Croc School at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, so Chris takes the opportunity to share the audio from his presentation, "What Does It Mean to 'Prioritize Training'?" from last week's ABMA Annual Conference! He shares some antecedent and consequence conditions that he's seen great teams utilize to mak…

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The Macaw Show - Chris Burns 31:03

8M ago31:03

31:03

Jesus from the Back Row! Story Teller returns to share his comedy like no one else can. A great show to get conversations started again.By Sanna Phillips

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The Macaw Show - Michael Farris 50:27

8M ago50:27

50:27

Resounding Resilence #AA A great show to get conversations started again.By Sanna Phillips

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The Macaw Show - Rodney Davis 31:50

8M ago31:50

31:50

Author Rodney Davis A great show to get conversations started again.By Sanna Phillips

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Episode 263: Zen and the Art of Networking (Live from the 2025 ABMA Annual Conference Zoo Day) 44:26

8M ago44:26

44:26

Chris is LIVE from Zoo Day at the 2025 ABMA Annual Conference in Galveston, Texas! Whilst wandering the grounds of our host facility, Moody Gardens, we chat with Chase Alsup from the Colorado State University Zoo, Aquarium, and Animal Shelter Management Graduate Program, Rae Simmons and Aubrey Wilson from the Moorpark College Animal Care and Traini…

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Episode 262: A Feedback Loop About Feedback Loops 39:31

8M ago39:31

39:31

Chris is in the editing (and possibly scrapping-and-starting-over) phase of his upcoming ABMA workshop "Your Feedback Loop: Evolving the Way We Give Feedback to Peers," so he decided to reach out to one of the smartest feedbackers around - Ari Bailey - and see how their notes compared when she was given the assignment to jot down what she considere…

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Episode 261: Is Your Animal Doing What You Want? (TEC Talk Throwback to The Official Chris Jenkins Super Simplified Guide to Behavior™) 43:02

8M ago43:02

43:02

It's consulting time! Chris is back at the Little Rock Zoo working with a team of eight trainers from around the zoo to get everyone working with people and animals they don't normally get a chance to, with the hopes that it might help them be better "training trainers" for new staff in the future! This has meant a lot of conversations about how yo…

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Inspiring Animals - Scarlet Macaws 25:41

9M ago25:41

25:41

Send us a text The scarlet macaw is one of the world's largest parrots, and one of the most beautiful animals of the Central American rainforests. During our visits to the Belize Zoo the macaws are one of our favorite stops due to their curiosity and intelligence. In this episode Kayla and Michael take a look at some of the challenges facing scarle…