Hi all,
I, and the chat-line, often get requests about what to do
with birds found dead. In fact many people don’t realise that they have
potential value as scientific specimens. In Canberra, for those that are not aware of it,
is the Australian National Wildlife Collection, held at CSIRO Sustainable
Ecosystems, off the Barton Highway
at Crace. This is the Federal Government’s official vertebrate museum
collection (except fish) and contains specimens preserved as skins, skeleton and
in spirit of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. It is a research museum
and as such is not open to the public except on special occasions.
So, what do you do if you find a dead bird? If it is in a
good condition, try and put some tissue or cotton wool into its throat – this is
to stop any blood or gut ooze from leaking on to the feathers. If it is
possible try and take some notes on the colour of the iris, bill, legs, toes
and claws and things such as facial skin, e.g. Blue-faced Honeyeater, wattles, e.g.
as on a Red Wattlebird, or an eye ring, e.g., White-naped Honeyeater. Then wrap
the bird in some tissue or toilet paper, or if it is a biggish specimen, in
newspaper, then wrap it in a plastic bag and place it in a freezer as soon as
possible. At the same time you are wrapping the bird PLEASE take notes on the
following: - the date on
which you found the bird, the locality
as precisely as possible as to where you found the bird, the habitat that you found the bird, what
you think is the cause of death
e.g. found as road kill, hit window, beach washed, etc, and your name and contact details as the finder.
Place all this information in the packet
with the bird in such a way that it will not get lost as it may
be sometime before it is processed by staff at the ANWC.
Having done all that you can then contact any of the
following to arrange for the bird to either be picked up or if you are so inclined,
to deliver the bird to the ANWC-
● Mark Clayton (h) 02 62413620; ● Robert Palmer, ANWC
Collection Manager (w) 02 62421369; ● Ian Mason, ANWC Senior Research Officer
(w) 02 62421680; ●Alex Drew, ANWC Research Officer (w) 02 62421552; or ● Dr Leo
Joseph, Director of the ANWC (w) 02 62421689. Hopefully someone will be around
to take your call!
A note of caution! It is technically illegal to have dead
birds in your possession but generally the wildlife authorities should not
become too concerned if they are told the specimens are going to an authorised State
or Federal museum. The decision is yours as to whether you are prepared to take
the risk. The ANWC does have licences covering the acquisition and holding of specimens.
If anyone wants to know what to do with banding recoveries
involving live or dead birds, they can contact any of the Canberra banders or the Australian Bird and
Bat banding Schemes on email
. If people want more information please contact me.
Cheers,
Mark
