Birds have definitely grown on me. If you would have told me 10 years ago, they would be one of my favorite animals to work with, I wouldn’t have believed you. Back in the early days of my TV career, reptiles were my go to. They were my ride or die animal, and they still are. But birds come in a close second. And in TV land, they make for exciting morning television! Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at my recent trip to The TODAY Show joined by a few of my “feathered” friends!
Times Square, New York City.
Since I am based in Idaho (about an hour outside of Boise) many people wonder how I am able to travel with all the animals they see me work with on the show. I’m going to let you in on a little secret…None of the animals are actually mine!
Bella a Red-fronted Macaw and I on the set of The Today Show. Photo credit: Nathan Congleton.
The animals I work with on the national shows I appear on in New York like The Today Show, actually live back east and are within a few hours away from the city. All the animals, like this beautiful macaw, are animal ambassadors that are used for educational programs. They are friendly and used to being in front of people.
Bird Trainer Phung Luu from Animal Behavior and Conservation Connections. Photo Credit: Nathan Congleton
For this appearance, I enlisted the help from my good friend and professional bird trainer, Phung Luu. Phung as over 30+ years experience of working with and training birds.
Photo Credit:Nathan Congleton Today Show Photographer.
This year will mark nine years of appearing on The Today Show. A common question I get asked is how the Today Show anchors are in person. I have to tell you…They are exactly what you would expect by watching them every morning on TV! They are friendly, kind, and some of the nicest celebrities I’ve worked with in the business!
Photo Credit: Nathan Congleton Today Show Photographer.
One of my favorite parts of the show is featuring rare animals that many people may have never heard of. I know what you’re thinking: “Corbin, this is a macaw. People have heard of them!” But did you know that this particular species of Macaw, the Red-fronted Macaw, is the only macaw species found in the dessert? They are only found in a small pocket of Bolivia in South America.
Reina the King Vulture. Photo Credit: Nathan Congleton Today Show Photographer.
Bringing on animals that are misunderstood or ones that have a bad reputation is another one of my favorites to feature. If I have the chance to change someone’s opinion about a particular animal like the vulture, I have done my job! Did you know vultures are one of the most important animals in the ecosystem? By eating rotting carcasses, they help clean up the environment by preventing the spread of disease.
Simon the White-necked Raven. Photo Credit: Nathan Congleton Today Show Photographer.
Did you know ravens are one of the most intelligent animals on earth? They can problem solve, talk, and even use tools! During the segment, Simon the Raven took a can from Hoda and then dropped it into a recycling bin to demonstrate the importance of recycling! You can watch the full segment below!
Pina the Andean Condor with Trainer Phung Luu on set of The Today Show. Photo Credit: Nathan Congleton Today Show Photographer.
When you work on these morning shows, time is always a factor. Sometimes you get longer segments (up to 5 minutes) and sometimes the segments are shorter. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to bring out the condor. It’s ok though…We still got some incredible photos and I did a feature of her on my podcast, “Animals To the MAX”: https://corbinmaxey.com/podcast-1/episode-110-condor-king-vulture-macaw-amp-raven
Photo Credit: Nathan Congleton Today Show Photographer.
Did you know condors have the largest wingspan of any bird? It can reach anywhere from 8 - 10.5 feet! Female condors are smaller than the males which is uncommon in most Birds of Prey (The males are typically smaller.) With that said, Pina’s wingspan was still over 8 ft!
Did you know female condors have red eyes while males have brown eyes? Photo Credit: Nathan Congleton Today Show Photographer.
Andean Condors are listed as near threatened while their cousins, the California Condor are critically endangered. In the late 1980’s only 22 individuals were left. Lead poisoning was the culprit. When deer hunters would leave their gut piles behind, microscopic lead from the bullet was left in the gut piles. The condors would subsequently ingest the lead after scavenging from the piles. Luckily, thanks to conservation breeding programs like the one set up at the Peregrine Fund, they have raised captive breed animals and released them back into the wild. There are now over 400 California Condors.
Photo Credit: Nathan Congleton Today Show Photographer.
And another Today Show appearance bites the dust!
If you followed my journey along on my Instagram Stories, you’ll know directly after each Today Show appearance I go on a NYC pizza tour! It’s honestly one of my favorite parts of visiting New York; seriously! You can watch my tour on my Instagram highlights: https://www.instagram.com/corbinmaxey
Watching the sunrise at Central Park.
This trip back to New York was a quick one. I flew back, did the show, had time for a pizza tour, and an early morning walk through Central Park, and then headed back home to Idaho. Now I’m back to the drawing boards preparing for my next appearance. And I’ll tell you what, I’m excited as ever. Until next time, Corbin.