ESCONDIDO, Calif. — Holiday shopping can be a lot of work but what if there was a way to relieve all that stress and make you feel as a light as bird? In this Zevely Zone, I went to Escondido to find the answer. We all have that certain someone that is hard to shop for and has everything. Why not give them a memory that will last forever?
"We've had a few surprises where people were like where are you taking me?" said Hillary Hankey. The bird expert from Avian Behavior International has a few people on her Christmas list who are impossible to shop for. "I totally do, 100 percent, people in my life it's like what the heck am I going to get this person?" said Hillary.
Avian Behavior International - a bird training ranch occupying twenty acres in San Diego and featuring ocean views and glowing sunsets - is on a mission to help families and nature lovers in Southern California escape the busyness and commercialism of the holidays. Starting at 95 dollars, you could be free as a bird and skip the long lines at the mall.
"Especially something they are going to remember for a long time, something that you can't just find anywhere," said Hillary who is happy to make your special requests come true.
"Can you help me propose to my significant other and we have done some of those," said Hillary who has had some people visit from very far away.
"Absolutely, someone came all the way from Montana drove 17 hours straight with their family just to get their senior pictures with their birds. Not just one macaw but we put as many macaws in that picture as we possibly could," said Hillary.
Just think, no wrapping paper is required, just an easy, early bird special. Around here the presents fall right in your lap.
"This is Guinness he is a Eurasian Eagle Owl," said Hillary. "My life's purpose is to get people as excited about birds as I am."
The greatest gifts, always fly right off the shelves. "It's literally the best job I could possibly imagine," said Hillary.
The ranch is home to four species of owl, six species of hawks, falcons, ravens, eagles, and many more exotic birds, turkeys, deer, foxes, and bobcats, and offers visitors live, interactive bird experiences, progressive training workshops, and tours of their permaculture farm life.
"The holidays are about spending time with people you love and making memories. Instead of heading to a crowded mall or watching your family mindlessly scroll on their phones, getting out in nature and learning about animals is a great way to lower stress, and connect with yourself and your loved ones in a new, uninterrupted way," said Hillary.
Avian Behavior International features one-of-a-kind in person experiences such as an Exotic bird meet and greet, Owl Handling Experience and Art of Flight Experience. Affordable and open to all ages, they provide an interactive experience that lets people escape the busyness of daily life.
To book an upcoming experience, visit Avian Behavior at www.avian-behavior.org.