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
