Avian Abstracts

​Can You Outsmart the Corvid
in Your Care?

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Elaine Friedman,
​Corvid Connection

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Full Abstract

Corvids!?! Intelligent, resourceful, not so easy to rehabilitate. This lecture highlights the habits and natural history of the crows, ravens, magpies, and jays that you might encounter in your work as a rehabilitator. It also familiarizes you with the pitfalls of caring for the various corvid species.

​Raising Orphaned Wood Ducks


​
Judy Neiman, Adele Moore,
TreeHouse Wildlife Center

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Full Abstract

Raising orphaned Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) definitely presents its own special set of problems. Wood Ducks are very nervous and can be reluctant eaters. If conditions are not exactly perfect they will not settle down and eat and many simply starve to death. Over the past eighteen years, TreeHouse’s Wood Duck release rate has consistently averaged around 80%. The initial setups are inexpensive and easy to clean, move, and store. This presentation covers basic husbandry procedures only. No medical treatments or procedures are addressed herein.

The Use of Tuning Forks to Aid Post-operative Physical Therapy
in Raptors


David Scott, DVM,
Carolina Raptor Center

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Full Abstract

Tuning forks can be used as an adjunct to traditional physical therapy in orthopedic cases. Low-frequency energy is applied via mechanical vibration and is similar to the use of therapeutic ultrasound or cold laser therapy. Fifteen cases in various raptor species with humerus fractures were included in this study. Traditional passive range-of-motion (ROM) exercises were augmented with a 128 Hz tuning fork. ROM was scored both subjectively and objectively with angles of extension recorded during each session. Of the 15 cases, 10 (67%) were noted to have probable or definite improvement after the tuning fork therapy was begun.
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