Waterbird Abstracts
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The Ardeid Family: Biologically Diverse, Elegant, Challenging!
Lynn Miller, PhD New Zealand Bird Rescue Charitable Trust, Waikato Full Abstract
This lecture examines several common species admitted to rehabilitation facilities. From diet to habitats, including species-specific issues, housing, and care, these waterbirds can be fun yet are also very challenging. By identifying specific health issues, we can institute Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) for managing parasites, growth, nutritional needs, and stress myopathy. This is tempered with a reality check about digits! Handouts include species profiles and developmental notes for great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, great egrets, cattle egrets, and green herons. |
Reducing Habituation in
Aquatic Birds Ioana Seritan International Bird Rescue, CA Full Abstract
Habituation is the reduction of wild behavior in wild animals through interaction with humans and is a concern for wildlife rehabilitators, especially for those working with juveniles of all species. International Bird Rescue has developed numerous techniques and tools to prevent habituation in aquatic birds. Among our repertoire are enclosure tools including puppets, mirrors, live or faux companions, environmental stimuli such as audio recordings, and staff behaviors like donning costumes during assist-feeding. This talk details our techniques, tips, and tricks, and allows audience discussion of other techniques for all species. |
Meloxicam & Pelicans: More is Not Always Better
Rebecca Duerr, DVM, MPVM, PhD International Bird Rescue, CA Full Abstract
Meloxicam is the most widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used to treat pain and inflammation in birds. In recent years, more and more research has come out about its safety in various species and this has led rehabilitators to using higher and higher doses in all birds. Due to multiple anecdotal reports of possible lethal adverse reactions to meloxicam in pelicans, we undertook a project to study the way pelicans metabolize this drug. We found that it takes pelicans much longer to process this drug than other species of birds yet studied. This talk presents results of the study. |
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Fates of >1000 Pelican Patients after Release
Rebecca Duerr, DVM, MPVM, PhD International Bird Rescue, CA Full Abstract
Do you wonder what happens to your patients after release? Do they live long happy lives as if their time with you in “hospital jail” never happened? International Bird Rescue has released >1,410 rehabilitated California Brown Pelicans with easily read blue plastic leg bands. These bands have allowed citizen scientists to log several thousand sightings of our previous patients, which has enabled examination of patient data records considering what happened after release. This talk ranges from individual bird stories to bigger data, and we discuss life and death after release given the specific medical problems birds had during care. |