Avian Taxidermy and Museum Curation Internship
Summary
The avian teaching collection had been in storage for two years during the reconstruction of Utah State University's Biology and Natural Resource Building. I spent the past academic year working with Dr. Kimberly Sullivan restoring the collection and gaining skills in avian taxidermy and museum curation. During this internship, I learned how to remove arsenic, repair specimens, prepare new specimens, identify species, and catalog a scientific and/or teaching avian collection. I gained skills and insights that will prepare me for my career in ornithology.
Objective
My objective for this internship was to gain skills in curatorial techniques. The Utah State University's Avian Teaching Collection was in storage for two years as the Biology and Natural Resource building was being renovated. After the collection was moved to its permanent home, the collection needed to be cleaned, repaired, and cataloged.
Skills I Acquired
I learned how to maintain a scientific and/or teaching avian collection. I gained skills in identification, cataloging, preparation, maintenance, and repair of a collection. This was a good introduction to the Utah State University's Biology Department and allowed me to investigate a career in ornithology.
Maintenance
Until the mid-1970s, avian specimens were often painted with liquid arsenic on the inside of the skin to protect the skin from insect damage. Over time, arsenic makes its way through the skin and appears on the feathers of the specimens. The arsenic can then contaminate other specimens and surfaces. Vacuuming specimens removes the arsenic and is recommended every five years. This is done by placing a specimen inside a fume hood and using a hand-held HEPA filter vacuum.
Repair
All specimens where inspected, restored, and repaired. This is done by cleaning the feet and glass eyes of the specimens, repairing any broken specimens by sewing or gluing the broken areas, and then combing the feathers in place with a toothbrush.
Specimen Preparation
To make a new study skin specimen for the collection. All information about the bird was recorded. The internal organs, and muscles were removed, and the empty cavity filled with cotton. The specimen was sewn up on the ventral side and wrapped to dry. Once dry, the specimen is added to the collection.
Catalog
Dr. Kimberly Sullivan and I created a spreadsheet of all specimens in the collection. The spreadsheet contained the species name, mount or study skin details, storage location, date vacuumed and repaired, as well as the quantity and sex of each species.
Victoria Radley holding a Ferruginous Hawk.
Victoria Radley holding an Atlantic Puffin.
Victoria Radley repairing the head of a Little Blue Penguin.
Victoria Radley repairing a specimen.
Dark-eye Junco study skin, prepared by Victoria Radley.
Three Cedar Waxwings (left) and a MacGillivray’s Warbler (right) study skins, prepared by Victoria Radley.
Victoria Radley identifying specimens.
Victoria Radley cataloging the collection.
Victoria Radley removing arsenic from a Great Horned Owl.
Victoria Radley holding a Chilean Flamingo.
Utah State University's Avian Teaching Collection Catalog
| Species | Mount/Study Skin | Cabinet/Case | Vacuum/ Repa | No. Specimens | No. Females | No. Males | No. Juveniles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unk pheasant | mount | 3 | fall 2021 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Ruffed Grouse | mount | 3 | fall 2021 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Sage Grouse | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Blue Grouse | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Chukur | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Grey Partridge | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Ruffed Grouse | mounts | 4 | fall 2021 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Mountain Quail | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 1 | 1 | ||
| California Quail | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Northern Bobwhite | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Sora | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Common Poorwill | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 4 | |||
| American Flamingo | study skin | 4 | fall 2021 | 1 | |||
| Greater Roadrunner | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 1 | |||
| American Coot | mount | 4 | fall 2021 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to my mentor Dr. Kimberly Sullivan and the Department of Biology for making this internship possible.
More Information Contact
- Victoria Radley A02362147@usu.edu
- Dr. Kimberly Sullivan kim.Sullivan@usu.edu
- Utah State University - Department of Biology