>I find it rather intersting, and never knew that birds could be potty
>trained, so to speak.  Everyone I know who has birds, they also have
>messes all over... the carpet... the mantle... the hanging plants..
>etc.
Not at MY house!  The only place you find messes here is on the floor
around the cages, where they shoot the stuff out between the bars. I
think they need some squirt guns so they can fight amongst themselves
more cleanly! 
Is there a special technique used for this, or is it done as you
>would train for any 'trick'?
It's actually another form of behavior modification. MOST of the B-mod
is done to the handler, NOT the bird.  First, you need to get an idea
of how long the bird goes between "events". Time it with a clock. Do
this over the course of a few days, so you get an average. Once you know
that interval, you can start.
Begin by waiting until the bird is "due", and start saying the magic
phrase ("go potty" or whatever you choose") while the bird is still on
the stand or in its cage. Repeat the phrase until the bird 'performs',
THEN praise it highly and pick it up. Watch the clock, and just before
the next 'event' is due, set or hold the bird in an appropriate place
and begin repeating the phrase again. DO NOT pick the bird up until it
"goes". If the bird has an "accident", scold it gently, put it in the
appropriate place, and DO NOT pick it up until it goes again accompanied
by the repeated command. Praise correct actions highly and
dramatically--birds really respond to exaggerated praise!
This teaches the bird to relate the phrase to the action, and it teaches
you to become more instinctive about when the bird will go next. SOME
birds will begin to "tell" you when they need to go--they'll either
learn to actually SAY the phrase, or they'll just get fidgety. Watch for
signs.
Be sure to vary the "appropriate place"--teach the bird to use the
t-stand, the toilet, newspapers on the floor, the cage bottom; anyplace
you might eventually have to take the bird. I don't believe that urban
legend about the bird who wouldn't go potty in a boarding cage while its
owners were on vacation, but doing this will certainly prevent any
possibility of that happening. 
This method worked quite well on 4 conures I have here, and I always
begin training the new babies before they leave for their new homes. It
usually takes about 4 to 6 weeks for the idea to sink in.
--Kathy
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