Over 60 students from the Royal Veterinary College enjoyed the raptor handling workshop held by the RVC AAV Student Chapter and the RVC Zoological Society on 19th May 2026. Led by experts from Exotic Explorers, the event provided valuable hands-on experience with birds of prey and featured AAV member and avian specialist Dr. Vicki Baldrey as a guest speaker. Because avian medicine is often overlooked in the vet school curriculum, this workshop offered a chance for RVC students to interact with birds and discuss their husbandry with professional keepers. Thanks to the sponsorship from AAV making this event both accessible and affordable to more students!

During the workshop, Exotic Explorers brought five common captive species to the Camden campus demonstration theatre: Harris hawk, American kestrel, black barn owl, burrowing owl, and white-faced owl. Ben from Exotic Explorers gave an opening speech regarding the falconry training, and husbandry requirements. Different from parrots, birds of prey are highly independent and typically housed in larger enclosures with tuft perches to prevent pododermatitis. 

The talk was followed by a flying demonstration featuring Harris hawk and burrowing owl. The burrowing owl landed on a lucky student’s head during the flight! The flight demonstrated the flight difference between diurnal and nocturnal raptors: Harris hawk displayed a strong and powerful motion, the burrowing owl maneuvered silently, their soft feathers absorbed sound and enabled them to be a perfect night hunter. Another interesting fact of owls is their asymmetrical ear opening, which allows them to precisely locate sound from different directions. A scops owlet was also introduced in the session and captured everyone’s heart, as a future education ambassador, being introduced to the crowd helps this young bird build positive experiences with humans. 

After the introduction talk, students were able to handle the raptors under the supervision of animal keepers. Essential falconry equipment from GPS tracker, leather gloves to lure were displayed throughout the session. The presentation also covered the use of ankles and jesses and their importance in raptor handling.
A wonderful reunion also happened during the event, Dr. Vicki recognized one of the visitors, a black barn owl who was her patient a couple years ago for a tendon repair surgery. The owl is doing great now without any visible scar or impairment on her feet. Dr. Vicki kindly explained the surgery procedure to the students and discussed career pathways available for students who aspire to be avian specialist veterinarians in the UK. 

Feedback from the raptor handling workshop was overwhelmingly positive. Participants expressed interest in the future sessions, while suggesting smaller group sizes to maximize handling time and more discussion time with the keepers. Given the huge success for the workshop, RVC AAV student chapter and RVC Zoological Society are looking forward to hosting more bird related activities to promote avian medicine in RVC.

On the evening of Saturday, April 18, 2026, twenty-four members and two executive officers of our veterinary school’s Avian Club gathered at the Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester, Massachusetts. This excursion, generously supported by an Association of Avian Veterinarians Student Chapter Program Scholarship, was designed to bridge the gap between classroom study and the real-world observation of avian behavior in a natural ecosystem. Broad Meadow Brook, a wildlife sanctuary owned by MassAudubon, provided an ideal backdrop for this "Owl Prowl," offering a diverse urban wildlife corridor that is critical to the local biodiversity of Central Massachusetts.

The event started with a thirty-minute educational seminar led by sanctuary educators. This lecture focused on the specialized physiological adaptations of New England Owl species. For veterinary students, this was a vital opportunity to connect the clinical relevance of asymmetrical ear placement for sound localization, the specialized serrations on leading flight feathers for silent flight, and the complexity of the owl eyes. Understanding these adaptations is paramount for us as future clinicians, who may one day treat these species in a wildlife rehabilitation setting. The discussion also touched upon the local ecology of our local owl species, specifically their nesting timelines and the conservation challenges they face in fragmented habitats.

Following the lecture, the group transitioned into the field for a guided night walk through the sanctuary’s extensive trail system. While the primary objective was to see and hear active owls, the timing of the event (occurring later in the spring season than originally planned) presented a unique opportunity to observe the shifting dynamics of local avian populations. As clinicians in training, we recognize that the absence of a "target" species is often as significant as its presence, offering an opportunity to learn about seasonal transitions and the timing of their breeding behavior.

Although the owls remained elusive, the evening was far from quiet. Our group was able to witness a display of natural behavior from two other species of importance to Massachusetts wildlife medicine: Wild Turkeys and Canada Geese. One of the highlights of the walk was observing several wild turkeys as they settled into their high-altitude nighttime roosts. Seeing these heavy-bodied birds navigate trees provided a practical lesson in avian agility and the importance of roosting safety as a prey species.

Furthermore, the group observed the vocalizations and behavioral patterns of Canada geese that had newly returned from their spring migration. The sanctuary’s marshy areas were active with their calls, allowing the students to discuss the physiological toll of long-distance migration. Both turkeys and geese represent a significant percentage of the caseload for wildlife rehabilitators in our region. Observing their healthy interactions in a protected habitat provided our members with a necessary "baseline" of normal behavior that is difficult to replicate in a hospital or classroom environment.

The "Owl Prowl" at Broad Meadow Brook was a wonderful experience, fostering a sense of community among our campus’ “bird nerd” students while reinforcing the ecological context of our veterinary studies. Several of our club members remarked on how much they appreciated an opportunity to get outside and into nature for an evening. By stepping out of the classroom and clinics, and into the wildlife sanctuary, our members gained a deeper appreciation for the relationship between habitat health and individual patient health. We are very grateful to the Association of Avian Veterinarians for their support, which made this learning opportunity possible. This event has undoubtedly inspired our members to continue pursuing their interests in avian and conservation medicine, ensuring that there will be those amongst our next generation of veterinarians equipped to care for the wild birds that share our world.

The Special Species Symposium is an annual event hosted by Cornell University’s School of Veterinary Medicine and PennVet in alternating years. Founded in 1996, the symposium returned to PennVet for its 30th anniversary on April 11–12, 2026. Through lectures and wet labs, we aimed to bring new insights into the veterinary curriculum with a focus on wildlife, zoological, avian, and exotic medicine. We welcomed more than 85 guests from across the country, including veterinary students, veterinary technicians, exotic animal rehabilitators, pathology students, wildlife behaviorists, and more. Throughout the weekend, the symposium served as both a learning space and a reminder that special species medicine is strengthened by collaboration and mutual support. 

We were deeply grateful to the 15 lecturers who shared their work and passion for special species medicine, including our keynote speaker, Dr. Michelle Hawkins, VMD, DABVP (Avian practice). Dr. Hawkins spoke about her journey researching how raptor flight patterns can inform conservation efforts and emerging technologies. Attendees also gained hands-on avian experience through the Avian Physical Exam Lab led by Dr. Andrea Winkel, the Avian Bandaging Lab led by Dr. Erica Miller, and the Avian Sapingohysterectomy Lab led by Dr. Len Donato. These wet labs gave participants practical opportunities to build confidence with species-specific anatomy, restraint, and clinical technique. For many students, the chance to practice skills in a supportive setting was one of the most meaningful parts of the weekend.

The feedback we received from attendees overwhelmingly expressed gratitude for the experiences the symposium provided. Within the veterinary school curriculum, opportunities to work with these animals—or even to learn what makes them special—are few and far between. Every veterinary student should have the chance to hold birds, listen to their hearts, palpate their coeloms, draw their blood, and practice other fundamental clinical skills that we are expected to know for dogs and horses. Unfortunately, these essential learning experiences are often unavailable unless students go out of their way to seek them out. We were fortunate that our symposium brought these resources and educators directly to students and introduced them to special species medicine. Thanks to our generous sponsors and donors, including the Association of Avian Veterinarians, the PennVet Special Species Club was able to host a successful and meaningful event. We hope it has inspired the next generation of veterinarians, researchers, and caretakers to spread their wings and continue making the world a better place for underrepresented species.

Wild Minds Veterinary Symposium, previously Wildlife University, is an annually held student-organized conference hosted by the Non-Traditional Species (NTS) Club at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. The conference is held in person at the College with a virtual option available, and it consists of a full weekend of lectures, a career panel, and a wet lab. Our speakers are veterinarians with expertise in zoological/wildlife medicine, research, and conservation. WMVS is attended primarily by veterinary students, with pre-professional students and veterinary technicians interested in expanding their knowledge of the field also represented.

This year, there were over 85 WMVS registrants–representing seventeen veterinary schools from across the United States, as well as Saint Kitts and Australia. More than 55 of those registrants were in-person attendees, and we were able to provide 24 slots to in person attendees for the AAV-sponsored wet lab.

Lectures are delivered as a single track. Day one’s morning lectures covered One Health in the Mississippi River Basin and essential herptile skills, and the afternoon lectures offered overviews of Belizean wildlife, elasmobranch, and penguin medicine. NTS Club catered lunch in between the lecture sessions, and attendees networked with speakers and with each other. Day one ended with a popular three-doctor panel discussion and Q&A on career path diversity in zoological and wildlife medicine. Day two’s morning had lectures on reptile radiology cases, the establishment of the UIUC Wildlife Epidemiology Lab, great ape medicine, and avian blood transfusion. After lectures and before the wet lab, NTS Club held a team trivia contest over another catered lunch. Attendees formed their own teams with participating speakers included.

Every year, NTS Club rotates the taxon and procedure featured in the WMVS wet lab. This year, the wet lab was for avian ocular evisceration, with an emphasis on owls. We chose ocular evisceration with owl cadavers as the procedure and sought AAV sponsorship due to the frequency with which this surgery is used in wildlife rehabilitation and its transferability to broader avian practice. Dr. Stephany Lewis of the UIUC Wildlife Medical Clinic was the wet lab’s instructor. Participants received an instructional handout on advanced raptor procedures including ocular evisceration co-authored by Dr. Lewis in advance of the conference. During the wet lab proper, Dr. Lewis gave an introductory lecture and demonstration of the procedure, discussing indications for the procedure in wild birds, avian-specific ocular anatomy, and comparison to enucleation with these species. Wet lab participants paired up to share cadavers, which were all wild individuals of Illinois native owl species that had been euthanized in rehabilitation settings and donated for use at WMVS. Each participant eviscerated one eye with their wet lab partner acting as an assistant. Dr. Lewis and the WMVS wet lab committee circulated throughout to answer questions and provide help.

This year, we received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback not only about the classroom sessions and wet lab, but also about the mentorship offered at the conference. Multiple attendees shared with us that they gained more mentorship over the course of the weekend than they had in several years at their veterinary school, along with invaluable exposure to zoo and wildlife education that would have otherwise been unavailable to them. We even had a repeat attendee from last year bring two of his pre-vet mentees. We are so grateful that our sponsors, including the AAV, have supported our efforts to offer all this to zoological medicine’s next best and brightest.

The North Carolina State University Exotic Medicine Service and the Wildlife, Avian, Aquatic, and Zoological Medicine Club hosted the Parrot Cognition and Behavior Symposium on October 5-6, 2024. This enlightening event featured two esteemed guest speakers, Dr. Jan Hooimeijer, DVM, and Dr. Irene Pepperberg, PhD, who shared their expertise on avian behavior with an audience of about 85 attendees. Participants represented a diverse range of backgrounds, including pet owners, bird rescue workers, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, pre-veterinary students, and veterinary students.

On Saturday, Dr. Irene Pepperberg opened the symposium with a compelling lecture on her groundbreaking research into the cognition of African Grey parrots. She detailed the remarkable intellectual abilities of these birds, providing insights into their capacity for problem-solving, memory, and communication. Following her presentation, Dr. Jan Hooimeijer shared his experience working with birds in the Netherlands. His lecture emphasized the importance of understanding and appreciating avian intelligence to prevent and address behavior problems.

He introduced attendees to strategies that promote mutual respect and trust between humans and birds, including a practical 5-step protocol. This protocol is designed to reduce handling stress, encourage positive behaviors, and respect parrots as intelligent prey animals. Dr. Hooimeijer’s talk also covered critical concepts such as the definitions of normal, unwanted, and displacement behaviors, and how these insights can be applied to manage avian behavior effectively. Additionally, he discussed the differences between practices in the Netherlands and the United States regarding bird welfare, including wing clipping and hand-rearing.

Sunday’s sessions featured interactive laboratories that allowed attendees to engage directly with both speakers and volunteer birds of various species. Dr. Irene Pepperberg demonstrated her renowned Rival/Model training technique using three volunteer African Grey parrots. This method, famously employed with Alex the Parrot, involves two human trainers: one acts as a model, demonstrating the desired behavior, while the other serves as a rival, competing for the parrot's attention and interaction. During the demonstration, Dr. Pepperberg used a ballpoint pen as the target object, with the bird’s owner acting as the rival. By the end of the session, the parrot began vocalizing sounds that indicated an understanding of the need to communicate to receive the item.

Simultaneously, Dr. Hooimeijer demonstrated his 5-step protocol with different birds. The owner of our volunteer Quaker parrot was impressed by the swift and effective method that established mutual trust and calm behavior. Dr. Hooimeijer’s calm handling of the bird, with no signs of aggression or stress from the parrot, underscored the protocol’s efficacy. These interactive sessions also allowed attendees to ask questions and share experiences, fostering a collaborative and insightful atmosphere. Dr. Pepperberg and Dr. Hooimeijer have shared their extensive knowledge at numerous conferences and veterinary schools, and NCSU was privileged to host them for this event. The symposium highlighted the critical importance of understanding parrots’ cognitive and behavioral needs, enabling humans to build relationships grounded in trust and respect. This mutual understanding ensures the well-being of these intelligent creatures. 

The event was made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), Zoetis, Harrison’s Bird Food, Lafeber, and Oxbow. The symposium organizers, Melissa Pineda-Perez and Neda Fadaee (Class of 2026), would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Kaitlyn Nikirk and Samantha Ziomek for facilitating the collaboration between MSU and NCSU, as well as to Dr. Olivia Petritz for her invaluable assistance in organizing the symposium. Our symposium would not have been possible without our bird volunteers and their owners. NCSU is grateful for this opportunity to contribute to the local community’s knowledge of avian care and hopes the insights gained will strengthen the bonds between humans and their avian companions.

Wildlife University at the University of Illinois took place from March 1-2, 2025. This annual event is a student-led conference providing wildlife lectures and a wet lab to students. The event is hosted by UIUC’s Non-Traditional Species club, a group providing student chapters for AAV, AAZV, ARAV, and AEMV. Our mission is to inspire and educate those interested in pursuing zoological and wildlife medicine, research, and conservation. This year, the event offered both in person and online options. 

On Saturday, lectures kicked off with Dr. Sam Sander, who spoke about the ethics of zoo and wildlife medicine. Dr. Danielle Strahl-Heldreth was next discussing zoo anesthetic emergencies. For many students, this was perhaps the first time they had heard about anesthesia for zoo animals in particular. Dr. Michael Adkesson, President and CEO of Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo, then joined us via Zoom and spoke about conservation work in Punta San Juan, Peru. While working with a variety of species, Punta San Juan is home to the vulnerable Humboldt Penguin and makes up a main focus of their conservation efforts. 

After lunch, Dr. Todd Marlo joined us to discuss wildlife ophthalmology, followed by Dr. Karen Terio discussing cheetah medicine. Dr. Allender, director of the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab at UIUC, followed up to discuss public relations and conservation of Illinois turtle species. An active and informational career panel followed with Drs. Terio, Sander, and Allender to discuss working in wildlife medicine and their advice to reach that goal. Some attending students tuned in as they prepare for the Match process in the upcoming years, and additionally, many participants were undergraduate and first year veterinary students looking forward to beginning their veterinary and wildlife careers.

Saturday’s lectures concluded after the panel. This year, Wildlife University teamed up with the Wildlife Medical Clinic (WMC) at UIUC for a joint fundraising and trivia event. The event was held at a local pizza restaurant. The fundraiser for the WMC was complete with raffles, a silent auction, and a live auction. Wildlife trivia hosted by our Wildlife University planning team wrapped up the night.

Sunday morning kicked off our avian-focused lectures with Dr. Judilee Marrow discussing the continued conservation efforts that brought Attwater Prairie Chickens back from the brink of extinction. Dr. Stephany Lewis followed up by talking about wildlife legislation, a topic that many of us had not learned during our veterinary and undergraduate educations. As the director of our Wildlife Medical Clinic, Dr. Lewis has a knowledge of legislation relating to wildlife, and has also participated in previous legislative decisions. Our final lecture was from Dr. Jimmy Johnson, Senior Director of Animal Health at the Denver Zoo, discussing HPAI in a zoo setting. With the current state of HPAI, this was a very important lecture for us to hear.

After lunch, 30 students met for a wet lab. This year, we offered a turtle esophagostomy tube placement and necropsy lab. Students each performed a tube placement under the guidance of Dr. Laura Adamovicz and Dr. Kaitlin Moorhead of the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab. During the lab, students had additional time to practice any physical exam techniques they wanted, including anatomy practice, identifying venipuncture sites, and suturing in reptile skin. The lab concluded with a gross necropsy.

We are so grateful to the AAV for sponsoring two of our lectures, Attwater Prairie Chickens with Dr. Marrow and Wildlife Legislation with Dr. Lewis, our AAV advisor and board certified in Avian Practice. Our conference would not be possible without financial support from our sponsors, and we appreciate the chance to apply for a scholarship from the AAV. As the AAV chair for our Non-Traditional Species club, I am thrilled that the conference was able to extend avian medicine knowledge to so many students. We look forward to continuing to expand for next year’s conference!

The Special Species Symposium is a biannual weekend conference held at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Zoo and Wildlife Society that explores current topics in zoo, wildlife, exotic pet, and conservation medicine. This event was an opportunity for veterinary students, veterinarians, technicians, undergraduate students, and graduate students to hear lectures from experts, gain hands-on experience through wet labs and dry lab simulations, and network with other students and professionals. Lecturers and lab leaders were primarily comprised of faculty, residents, and interns from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Other speakers included clinicians from various zoos and aquariums across the country, faculty from other veterinary schools and veterinarians working in the field. Participants were primarily veterinary students and undergraduate students from around the United States and abroad. The symposium opened with a networking event on Friday evening, where participants had the opportunity to meet with the speakers, lab leaders and each other. Saturday and Sunday were filled with lectures and labs. Lecture topics included highly pathogenic avian influenza, marine mammal medicine, rhinoceros medicine, diseases of the North American porcupine, anatomy and behavior of reptiles, fish medicine, gorilla conservation, pathology of wild mammals, avian ophthalmology, wildlife rehabilitation cases, carnivore medicine, strategies in One Health, and sea turtle medicine. Wet labs included Comparative Zoo Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Lab Animal Clinical Techniques and Necropsy, Avian Necropsy, Wildlife Darting, Turtle Shell Repair, Marine Mammal Necropsy, Outbreak Investigation, Alpaca Castration, Avian Clinical Techniques, Exotic Animal Pathology, Fish Clinical Skills and Necropsy, Wildlife Comparative Necropsy, Rehab and Physical Therapy of Non-traditional Species, Comparative Parasitology, and Mock Disease Outbreak. I have attached the schedule of events and a link to the event website for more information on speakers and labs.

This event provided significant opportunities for participants to gain a deeper understanding of topics that are not regularly covered in the veterinary curriculum. The lectures included a diverse range of topics in non-traditional species. These topics varied in specificity as well, ranging from broad overviews of treatment of entire taxa, specialized treatments for highly specific diseases, and case studies. The wet labs provided ample opportunities for hands-on learning while the dry labs encouraged brainstorming and decision-making in real-world scenarios, such as disease outbreak control. Some labs gave students the opportunity to explore the unique anatomy and diseases of non-traditional species through necropsy. Others gave participants opportunities to practice clinical techniques such as endoscopy, surgery, and darting. The event also provided participants with extensive opportunities to not only network with the speakers and lab leaders but also students from other veterinary programs.

This event was only made possible with the contributions made by organizations such as the Association of Avian Veterinarians. Donors and sponsors, to our pleasant surprise, were willing to help make this event a success. Our expenses included lab supplies, meals for all participants, and travel and stay for our speakers. To offset these expenses, we hosted a silent auction with items from our donors and we established reasonable registration costs. We are incredibly grateful that we were able to break even by the end of the event, thanks to the many generous organizations who made this possible. The entire Zoo and Wildlife Society executive board has taken skills and lessons from this event that we will take into our careers, and we would like to wholeheartedly thank the Association of Avian Veterinarians for helping us achieve our goals.

On January 27, 2025, the Avian and Exotic Medicine Club (AEMC) at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine was privileged to host Dr. Michelle Hawkins, VMD, DABVP (Avian Practice), and a past member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) Executive Board and Advisory Council. Dr. Hawkins shared her non-traditional path into avian medicine, from initial equine beginnings to cockatoos and condors! AEMC members learned how avian medicine opened doors in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation, public policy, disaster response, scientific publishing, and the new UC Davis Bird Flight Research Center. After the presentation, a career path Q&A was held. Students asked about postgraduate training opportunities, favorite bird species, memorable avian cases, and how to become more involved with avian medicine as students. UC Davis students also learned about the educational and networking opportunities available with AAV. Many were excited about the upcoming 2025 AAV Conference and becoming part of the AAV flock!

We were thrilled to host Dr. Mackey for an engaging and informative lunch talk at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Mackey captivated an audience of over 40 students with her discussion on the fundamentals of treating avian patients in general practice. Her expertise and passion for avian medicine shone through as she shared invaluable tips and tricks that can be directly applied in clinical settings.

Dr. Mackey began with an overview of common avian diseases and diagnostic approaches, emphasizing the importance of a thorough physical examination. She then delved into specific case studies, illustrating how to effectively manage and treat various avian conditions. Her practical advice, from handling techniques to nutritional recommendations, provided students with actionable insights that are often not covered in standard curricula.

What truly set this talk apart was Dr. Mackey's ability to connect with the students. Her approachable demeanor and willingness to answer questions fostered an interactive environment that encouraged learning and curiosity. Students were not only educated but also inspired by her dedication to avian care and her contributions to the field. The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Many students expressed how Dr. Mackey’s talk had sparked an interest in avian medicine and provided them with a clearer understanding of how to integrate avian care into their future practices. It was a session that left a lasting impression and highlighted the importance of continuous learning and passion in veterinary medicine.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Mackey for sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with us. Her talk was a significant addition to our educational offerings, and we look forward to hosting more events that inspire and educate our students.

The Special Species Symposium kicked off with a welcome breakfast on Saturday, April 12th attended by the morning’s lecturers and guests from multiple universities and cities, some joining us from as far as Canada!  After breakfast, Dr. La’Toya Latney began the day’s talks with a fantastic keynote speech. Her talk encouraged future veterinarians to be adaptable and willing to learn while describing the plethora of roles and responsibilities she takes on as an avian and exotic species veterinarian. 

The morning continued with six separate lectures, with topics ranging from an introduction to reptile surgery to urinary tract disease in small mammals. Dr. Don Neiffer, chief veterinarian at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, gave an inspiring talk about the role of veterinarians in conservation and the importance of cross-disciplinary synergism to maximize efforts that benefit wild species. Later, Dr. Alissa Rassin took guests through cases of feather destructive behavior in psittacines, explaining common causes, diagnostics, and treatments. 

After lunch, Dr. Len Donato, owner of Radnor Veterinary Hospital described nasal septum deviation and comorbidities in rabbits & rodents. Later that afternoon, Dr. Donato went on to host a wet lab demonstrating a common procedure performed in ferrets: adrenalectomies. Each student was given a donated ferret cadaver and practiced excising the adrenal gland, taking care to avoid crucial vasculature. Simultaneously, Dr. Margaret Whittaker, led a lab explaining the veterinarian’s role in behavioral management. 

The following morning proceeded with the same general schedule: lectures in the morning, and wet labs in the afternoon. The talks were split into two sections: zoo and wildlife, and small mammal. On the zoo and wildlife track, Dr. Peter DiGeronimo, a clinical veterinarian at the Philadelphia Zoo, delivered a fantastic (and aww-inducing) talk on the clinical anatomy and medicine of sloths. His lecture was followed by a buzz-worthy presentation on the role of honeybees in veterinary medicine. Dr. Katie Krebs, Assistant Professor of Clinical Primary Care at Penn Vet, explained that bees are superorganisms of 10,000 to 80,000 individuals that can become infested with mite and bacterial infections just like birds and mammals. In the hour before lunch, Dr. Ryan Carney, a veterinarian at Pender Exotics, introduced the audience to reptile surgery in clinical practice. He outlined typical pathologies associated with pet reptiles, and the treatments performed to correct them. For example, post-ovulatory egg binding in bearded dragon responds to medical management, whereas pre-ovulatory egg binding may require surgery.

The afternoon hosted two wet labs centered around treating common injuries in exotic species. The first lab, hosted by Dr. Gardiner, focused on laceration and fracture repair in wild birds. Dr. Kristin Gardiner is an assistant clinical pathobiology professor at Penn Vet and relief veterinarian in exotics companion animal medicine. To attendees, she demonstrated proper fracture palpation, limb mobility assessment, suturing, and bone pinning. Each student was given a donated avian cadaver to practice these skills. The second lab was taught by Dr. Erica Miller, a wildlife veterinarian, associate professor and field operations manager at the wildlife futures program at Penn Vet. Dr. Miller taught attendees how to sex turtles, stabilize shell fractures, perform injections, draw blood. Like the avian lab, each guest received a donated cadaver on which to perform each of these treatments. 

The 2024 Special Species Symposium was a wonderful success that would not have been possible without the heart, enthusiasm, and passion from each of our lecturers, lab leaders, club members, and guests. The exchange of ideas, wisdom, and technique is invaluable, and the Special Species Club looks forward to hosting the symposium again in two years. 

On October 9, 2023, the Mississippi State University WEZAAM student chapter held an in-person raptor lab. Dr. David Hannon is a 1993 graduate of Auburn University and is Board-Certified in Avian Medicine and Surgery since 2008. He has practiced avian, exotic, zoo, and small animal medicine in the greater Memphis, Tennessee area for the past 26 years and is currently associated with the Mid-South Raptor Center in Memphis. Dr. Hannon drove to Starkville, Mississippi, and presented on avian anatomy, physiology, and basic diagnostic tools for completing an avian physical exam. The PowerPoint introduction included veterinary anatomical diagrams, real world examples of the diagnostic exams and tests performed in a basic avian physical exam, and pictures to bring the lab into more perspective.

After the introductory presentation was completed, the students then learned the correct ways to hold and restrain raptors with a Barred Owl and a Red-tailed Hawk brought by Dr. Hannon from the Mid-South Raptor Center. Both birds were taken out of their kennels and the students were able to learn the correct way to restrain raptors, including with a towel and with a glove, as well as practice handing off the raptors and how to communicate with others to help keep everyone as safe as possible. The students then got to take individual pictures and a group picture with the raptors.

When the raptors were ready to go back into the kennels, the students worked at multiple stations to practice the skills displayed in the introductory PowerPoint. These stations included drawing blood on live chickens and ducks, giving fluids, placing basic intra-osseous catheters in raw chicken bones, and performing bandage wrapping on a live animal. For every station except the IO catheters, live chickens and ducks provided by a fellow Mississippi State CVM student were used as live models for the lab. 

At the venipuncture station, the students were taught the basic ways to obtain blood from avian patients. The students were shown the method for using the brachial wing vein, and then practiced a basic median metatarsal vein venipuncture. At the bandage wrapping station, the students practiced the best way to bandage the wing of their avian patient. At the IO catheter station, the students were able to practice placing an intra-osseous catheter in raw chicken bones. At the fluid station, the students practiced how to give fluids to their avian patient, including placing an esophageal tube. After the lab workshops and stations had concluded, Dr. Hannon stayed to answer questions from the interested students. While the WEZAAM club has had live avian labs before, a lab of this size was a first experience. All associated students and chapter officers thoroughly enjoyed this lab and hope to host a lab workshop like this again in the future. This lab taught the Mississippi State CVM students skills that would otherwise not be illustrated in the DVM curriculum. Having learned and practiced these skills, the students will be able to feel more comfortable and become more well-rounded veterinarians as they graduate and enter the workforce.

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“What Shape?” “What Matter?” “What Color?”

On February 25-26, 2023, Michigan State University (MSU) DVM students were joined by Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Dr. Jan Hooimeijer for an all-avian weekend to learn about parrot intelligence and behavior! 

MSU’s Avian Behavior Conference hosted approximately 80 participants including: local veterinarians, vet students from around the Midwest, bird owners, and local bird rescue operators. Saturday, participants learned about avian cognition, dealing with welfare of parrots in captivity, preventing, dealing with, and solving undesired behavior, why hand-rearing of parrots is prohibited in the Netherlands, and how to approach and handle parrots. Sunday, vet students and veterinarians participated in two hands-on workshops led by the speakers.

Dr. Hooimeijer’s workshop was met with fascination as he demonstrated how to acknowledge the intelligence and cognitive capacities of birds instead of enforcing behavior by training animals. Munching on seed and remarking at the bird’s toys, he stressed that you shouldn’t look at the bird when approaching and that you want to try to create mutual respect and trust to ensure welfare. One of the birdy participants (Amazon) was told by his rescue that “if Dr. Hooimeijer didn’t fix him, he would have to keep him.” To our surprise, the Amazon seemed very calm with Dr. Hooimeijer and perched on his arm during the workshop. The caretakers were excited to take home some notes to help their Amazon become a good citizen.

Dr. Irene Pepperberg was joined in her workshop by two grey parrot volunteers. In her seminar she demonstrated the rival/model concept, using a student as the rival. You could see the wheels turning in the parrot’s head as the vet student asked for a “WAL-NUT” or “PA-PER” and then received them. By the end of the seminar, one of the birds was getting pretty close to “NUT”.

MSU conference organizers Kaitlyn Nikirk (MSU CVM 2024), Heather Sayles (MSU CVM 2025), and Hannah Williams (MSU CVM 2025) hope that the lectures and workshops will have a lasting impact in their community, with local veterinarians and bird rescues passing on what they learned to other bird owners. Currently, there are no avian specialists in Michigan that work in private practice. The MSU exotic club is grateful for conferences like ExoticsCon, where they can connect with people in the avian field that are willing to share what they’ve learned. In fact, MSU’s conference was seeded when MSU exotic club and AAV student rep. Kaitlyn Nikirk met Dr. Hooimeijer at AAV’s annual conference in 2022. MSU exotic’s club appreciates AAV’s continued financial support of AAV chapters and looks forward to hosting more avian events!

Interested in hosting an event like this at your university? See this link for details and contact Drs. Hooimeijer directly at j.hooimeijer@vogeladvies.nl for more information.

On May 14, 2023, Archaeopteryx organized their yearly symposium with the theme “Let's Get Clinical.” The event aimed to highlight the clinical aspects of birds and exotic veterinary medicine through various workshops and lectures. It was a very successful event with a total of 120 attendees! Our hostess of the day was Myrthe Huyskes and she led the incredible event. 

At our symposium we had a total of 5 lectures that were between 45 and 60 minutes. The lectures given were the following: 

• “Wound healing in reptiles” given by reptile veterinarian Doortje Reekum
• “Fish consultations” given by fish veterinarian Bram Meersman
• “Diagnostics in zoo animals” given by certified specialist in zoo medicine Martine van Zijl-Langhout
• “Anesthesiology in birds” given by bird specialist in training Zoë van der Plaats
• “Interpretation of blood values in small mammals” given by small mammal specialist in training Katalin Horvath
  

This symposium was extra special because, for the first time ever in Archaeopteryx history, our symposium attendees could follow multiple hands-on workshops of various topics. During these workshops the attendees learned about clinical skills with birds and exotic animals through the use of donated animal cadavers or different PowerPoint cases. We had a total of 7 different workshops and our students each attended 2 of them. The workshops offered were: 

• “Diagnostic imaging for wildlife” by radiology specialist in training Elsbeth Burgers
• “Suturing of birds and exotic animals” led by veterinarians Mirthe de Groot and Stephan van Maurik. Here students learned how to suture via suture kits
• “Dentistry for rabbits and guinea pigs'” led by rabbit veterinarian Danielle Kirbus-Beekman. Students learned how to extract molars and incisors in the cadavers of small mammals.
• “Esophagus tubing for turtles and stitching for reptiles” led by Doortje Reekum. Students learned how to guide an esophagus tube in cadavers of Yellow-bellied sliders. The students also learned to suture on the cadavers of an iguana and snakes
• “Additional diagnostics for fish” taught by Thijs Cliteur, who demonstrated dissection techniques on fish and how to take various diagnostic swabs.
• “Sterilization of guinea pigs” led by Katalin Horvath was followed by a hands-on experience for participants to learn the sterilization technique using guinea pig cadavers.
• “Surgical emergency treatment of birds'' led by Zoë van der Plaats, who explained what to do in the case of crop stasis and how to perform crop lavage in birds.
  

Attendees then had de opportunity to practice these skills on donated pigeon cadavers. Zoë van der Plaats is a veterinarian who is part of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, and we were very grateful that she could share her expertise with the symposium attendees. 
Throughout the day we held a lottery for Bears in Mind. This is a foundation that supports and initiates projects to protect bears in the wild and help captive bears in need. Our attendees could buy lottery tickets to win various prizes donated by other student associations. With the lottery ticket sales we were able to raise 702 euros which will be donated to Bears in Mind.

We want to thank the Association of Avian Veterinarians for their support in sponsoring the symposium through the student chapter program sponsorship. Additionally, we also want to thank our speakers for giving a very educational experience and a clinical insight into the world of exotic animals.

This past April 2nd and 3rd, our AAV student chapter and special species club hosted the 2022 Special Species Symposium. This annual symposium offers our own students and students from other veterinary schools an incredible chance to learn about wildlife & exotic animal species. This year’s theme was "Many Species, One Goal, One Health," and we were able to feature a variety of speakers to come together and teach us about topics including Aquatics, Avian and Exotics, Wildlife, Zoo, One Health, and Conservation medicine, and focusing on exotic animal medicine’s role in the One Health initiative.

We were thrilled to have a hands-on “care of raptors in captivity” wet lab and an avian bandaging wet lab for our student attendees to learn and practice techniques for helping protect birds from injury or supporting them in healing from injuries. In these wet labs, we worked with cadavers of various species including hawks, osprey, and owls that were provided from a bird rescue and rehab center, with these specimens being cases that unfortunately succumbed but were still able to serve valuable teaching purposes. For our first wet lab, our instructor Dr. Miller walked us through several techniques starting with safely handling a raptor and ensuring it can’t close its talons around anything or anyone. We then learned about tail guards and practiced making one out of paper packaging tape by wrapping the tail feathers from the base and spiraling down. Dr. Miller then taught us the fascinating use of carpal bumpers to protect birds’ wings by placing cushioning overlapping Microfoam pieces over the carpus and then covering it with a protective layer of Tegaderm. In our second wet lab, Dr. Donato guided us through avian bandaging techniques and the principles of external coaptation. I worked on a red-shouldered hawk to place a Figure 8 bandage with body wrap, a tibiotarsal modified Robert-Jones bandage, a tarsometatarsal tape splint, and a ball bandage of the foot. Our birds would have had plenty of well-stabilized joints.

We were also honored to hear talks from many experts on various topics in exotics medicine, conservation, and one health. We were introduced to the conservation and veterinary management of turtles where we were shocked by examples of the harm caused by the trafficking of rare turtle varieties. Dr. Donato took us through the process of surgical fracture repair in birds with his talk on avian orthopedics. We heard about the biological importance of wildlife corridors connecting wildlife reserves for maintaining ecology, countering problems of fragmentation, and reducing the numbers of wild animals wandering into urban areas and roadways. We learned about managing welfare for zoo animals, received advice on networking for zoo positions, and gained valuable perspective on the role we can play in caring for zoo animals. We were shown how to look at the data on biodiversity loss and understand the importance of community-based conservation and regenerative agriculture for mitigating various major problems like the challenge of food security. We learned about entanglement in fishing lines and nets being the leading cause of death in whales, about the heroic efforts of rescuers, and about the methods they use to respond to these incidents and disentangle the whales. We saw how intake exams are performed on raptors with amazing examples of owls and a bald eagle being examined from head to toe for abnormalities. We heard about One Health programs working with local communities in places like Guyana to develop systems to help learn about and protect their native species, and also heard about developments in the understanding of coral health that may potentially aid in maintaining and regenerating coral reefs. We took a look at working through reptile and avian clinical cases, and also learned about appropriate and inappropriate forms of wildlife tourism. We saw how raptors like eagles become exposed to the lead picked up by or embedded in their prey due to the introduction of lead into their ecosystem by hunting and angling, heard about factors to consider when deciding to treat or release a bird such as the timing for its breeding and migration, and learned about the Lead-Free Sporting initiative to promote awareness and access to lead-free supplies within hunting and angling communities. We were introduced to conservation efforts in Paraguay focusing on the hooded capuchin as a flagship species to support conservation of the endangered forest habitat as well as educational programs for schoolchildren and community engagement projects aimed at overcoming barriers and working together to begin the restoration of the forest in Paraguay. Last, we heard about efforts to monitor zoonotic disease transmission between humans and wildlife with examples like Covid19 transmission to tigers in the zoo, and about the need for increased awareness of the risks of disrupting wildlife habitats and of having close contact with wild animals.

Our AAV chapter and special species club were so glad we could provide a fun and educational symposium experience for our attendees. We thank the Association of Avian Veterinarians for their support in sponsoring the symposium through the student chapter scholarship. And we extend a special thank you to all of our wonderful speakers.

Last month, University of Glasgow’s AAV chapter put on our first big event as a new club. With the help of our secretary Cameron, we procured 20 humanely-sourced chicken cadavers to use for a 2 hour dissection led by our professor and advisor Maureen Bain. Over 30 students were interested in the event, and we were able to accommodate 22 students to participate. In order to extend the event to those unable to attend, we were able to stream the dissection on zoom. To start off, Maureen took us through external anatomy of chickens, pointing out features of medical importance such as the common sites for blood draws. Next, each student equipped with their own dissection kit and chicken, Maureen guided the dissection taking care to explain all the internal anatomy. Throughout, students learned information on different organ systems and what pathological changes could be found. Several students had interesting finds with their chickens, like an egg within the shell gland.

We found this to be such a valuable event, because no avian dissection took place as a part of our normal teaching this year or last due to COVID. After the event, many students expressed excitement at having the opportunity to supplement their education through the club. One student remarked “I feel like I learned more on avian anatomy than we really get in lectures (i.e. it was really important to see how the respiratory system is organised)”. When asked for feedback on how we can improve the next dissection, we were only met with glowing reviews like “Just keep having more of them!! It made me feel so much more comfortable with avian anatomy”. 

After such a successful event, we are so excited to host another dissection or wet lab in the future, hoping to help more students expand on their clinical knowledge and skills on avian species. We would like to extend a big thank you to the AAV, Maureen, Suzie, and the clinical skills team for making this event possible!

Iowa State’s student chapter of the AAV hosted wildlife veterinarian Dr. Leslie Reed from the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota for an evening of avian radiology. Very few core courses focus on avian species, and radiology is especially lacking in knowledge of avian radiographic anatomy. As students interested in avian medicine, interpreting radiographs is an important part of everyday practice, and gaining confidence in these skills is significant in improving and advancing the health of our future patients. This first time offered wet lab and lecture was incredibly well received by our students.

In our lecture portion, Dr. Reed began with the importance of sedation to decrease stress in the patient, and accomplish proper positioning. A recent paper came out discussing the importance of the use of caudoventral-craniodorsal oblique radiographic views made at 45 degree angle (Visser et. al) denoted as an H view to help evaluate the pectoral girdle in raptors. Dr. Reed has found this especially useful in evaluating coracoid and clavicular fractures in wildlife. We discussed the importance of proper positioning and how to accomplish by keel palpating to achieve a straight position, and tape to keep wings and legs down.

Next we went over normal skeletal anatomy and what that looks like on a radiograph. We then discussed internal anatomy including the heart, liver, proventriculus, ventriculus, kidneys, lungs, and air sacs. We took some time to talk about a few species differences and the importance of knowing what is normal and what is not. For example, trumpeter swans have a convoluted trachea to help with their unique vocalizations. For those who don’t know this, it could be misinterpreted as abnormal. Pelicans have a large amount of subcutaneous air sacs that can be seen on radiography, and so subcutaneous fluids are not recommended in this species.

In the wet lab portion of the event we had several tables set up with about 12 different specimens. Students split into groups of 2-3 and worked together to get through the cases. Several of the cadavers had corresponding radiographs to look at and others did not. The cadavers that did not have radiographs were palpated to try to find the fracture location. We learned about approaching cases in a systematic way beginning from one side to the next, front to back. After the fracture was located, we tried to describe the fracture (open or closed, comminuted, oblique, transverse, etc.). The same was done for the cadavers that had corresponding radiographs. Students found that practicing naming the fractures was incredibly useful. We were also asked to try to identify the species that we were palpating, which was challenging for some, but important to think about.

Dr. Reed taught us that knowing the species is important for further treatment such as is this species high stress? What does it eat and how? Cadavers ranged in species from ducks and gulls to tiny passerines including vireos and sparrows. In addition to having these tangible cadavers to palpate, we were given a PowerPoint that had an additional 10 cases with radiographs and questions to work through in groups. Questions included: what abnormalities are seen, what the age of the bird is (young vs. adult and why), species, can you tell the sex, what is the positioning, classify the fracture, prognosis, etc.  

The University of Montreal received AAV's Spring 2019 Student Chapter Program Sponsorship. The photos above show students participating in an avian radiology event presented by Dr. Isabelle Langlois. This event made possible in part by the AAV sponsorship.

This past January, 282 students coming all over Canada, from Charlottetown to Calgary gathered for the Student Canadian Veterinary Medicine Association (SCVMA) Symposium during a weekend, at the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV) of the Université de Montréal in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec.

One of the most popular wetlabs of the event was the “Bird of Prey: Emergency techniques” weblab. Under the guidance of Dr. Guy Fitzgerald - who founded the Birds of Prey Clinic when he was a student at the FMV - and of Dr. Noémie Summa - clinician at the Exotic Animal Clinic at the FMV - 64 lucky students learned to deal with emergency raptor cases, and to handle psittacine birds gently and without stressing them! Carcasses of multiple species were available for the first lab, varying in size from a merlin to a great horned owl. They learned to perform a general physical examination, to interpret radiographs associated with cases, and to practice various techniques including bandaging, placing a permanent feeding tube, giving intraosseous fluids, and putting a trocar into an air sac. This activity, highlighting the importance of endangered species conservation such as birds of prey, was well in line with the theme of this year's Symposium “One Health, One Symbiosis”, which has been a great success! The next edition with the SCVMA symposium will be in Saskatoon.

Since Archaeopteryx was founded in 1989, the period from the fourth to the seventh of February was dedicated to her sixth lustrum. The annual symposium of Archaeopteryx was part of this lustrum and took place on February 5th 2019. The symposium committee carried the task to take care of an unforgettable day, which was entirely in the theme of ‘Fantastic Beasts’.

Since the vision of Archaeopteryx is to provide additional education in the field of birds and exotic animals, a wide range of subjects were discussed this day. Archaeopteryx was honoured with the presence of five speakers, who have contributed to educational lectures in line with aforementioned vision.

The highlight of the symposium was the lecture of Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Korbel. Rüdiger is an European Veterinary Specialist in Avian Medicine and Surgery. The AAV has vouched for the expenses of inviting Rüdiger to the Archaeopteryx symposium, and has thereby given a huge favour to Archaeopteryx to persue her vision. Rüdiger has lectured about Avian Vision and Principles and Application in ophthalmology. A subject which is one of his specialisms, and which is also a subject that is hardly discussed during veterinary education in Utrecht. In addition, Rüdiger has elaborated the benefits of a student membership at the EAAV and the AAV in collaboration with Dr. Y.R.A. (Yvonne) van Zeeland.

Further lectures were taken care of by Prof. Dr. G.H. (Geert) Janssen, Dr. Ir. L.A.J. (Leo) Nagelkerke, A.M. (Anneke) Vermeulen and Prof. Dr. P. (Peernel) Zwart. They have lectured about differences between digestive systems of several animals, an isolated fish species, the Labeobarbus, in Lake Tana and its subspecies, legislation of owning and breeding pets, the breeding of different rodent species, and the evolution of birds out of dinosaurs.

The day ended with a lottery, which resulted in a revenue of €314 for the charity of the symposium; Stichting AAP. Stichting AAP gives primates and other exotic mammals a better future by rescuing and making the case for better animal legislation in Europe. Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean.