In the past, weighing king penguins presented a unique challenge. They are large birds (weighing up to 35 pounds) with sharp beaks, strong flippers and clawed feet. Physically placing them on a scale to determine their weight as part of a routine physical was no easy task for either the penguins or aviculturists.

The SeaWorld Orlando Aviculturist staff decided to try a better way. Starting in February 2006, Courtney Falke and her team of four aviculturists began training king penguins to weigh themselves. To begin, the aviculturists customized a portable scale to take into the Penguin Encounter habitat. This allowed the penguins to get used to the scale in a familiar area. In order to receive a serving of nutritious fish, the king penguins had to walk up and stand on the scale. This procedure was incorporated into the daily routine for the penguins, allowing the birds time to feel comfortable with the process. Some also learned through observation - even older kings saw how safe and rewarding it could be to go onto the scale so they would eventually join the others during the weighing procedure. By February of 2007, the aviculture team had the king penguins lining up to get weighed.

At this year's International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators conference, SeaWorld Orlando's aviculture department received the "Husbandry Behavior of the Year Award" from their peers. Congratulations to aviculturists Courtney Falke, TJ Dray, Tam Jones, Tricia McDeed, and Jill Lewis for this outstanding achievement.