Waterfowl Conservation Workshops

Initiated by the International Wild Waterfowl Association and Sylvan Heights Bird Park

The first Waterfowl Conservation Workshops was developed out of the need for a forum for up and coming waterfowl conservationists to come together to discuss pertinent and timely topics relating to waterfowl in captivity and in the wild, particularly rare and endangered species. 

2020 Waterfowl Conservation Workshop

February 20-22, 2020

Seventy+ attendees from seven countries participated the 2020 Waterfowl Conservation Workshop (WCW) at Aeres Barneveld. The WCW was a three-day seminar for zoo and wildlife professionals and students, as well as dedicated private aviculturists managing their own waterfowl aviaries, but also other interested people. The workshop provided a unique forum for the discussion of waterfowl husbandry, conservation, research, veterinary care, and other relevant topics. Speaker sessions were scheduled in the morning, hands-on workshops were scheduled in the afternoon. WCW 2020 was held in the Netherlands, at the campus of Aeres MBO Barneveld and at Ouwehands Zoo. A post-conference wild goose safari was optional.

Above: attendees of the 2020 Waterfowl Conservation Workshop, at Aeres MBO Barneveld. 

Details about past and future workshops: www.waterfowlconservation.org 

Photos of the 2020 Waterfowl Conservation Workshops, click here.

2018 Waterfowl Conservation Workshop

The 2018 Waterfowl Conservation Workshop consisted of two days of presentations and discussion, and one day of practical, hands-on workshops at Sylvan Heights Bird Park. WCW 2018 coincided with the 2018 International Wild Waterfowl Association Conference, which was also held in eastern North Carolina.

2016 Future of Waterfowl Conservation Workshop (first edition)

The IWWA's inaugural Future of Waterfowl Conservation Workshop (February 2016) was held at the Sylvan Heights Bird Park in Scotland Neck, North Carolina USA. Over 65 young waterfowl conservationists and enthusiasts from across the United States, Europe, Canada and Brazil joined together to discuss topics such as captive propagation, verterinary care, education and conservation. The initial response was overwhelmingly positive and we quickly ran out of room.

Schedule of presentations

Captive propagation, feb. 26, 2016

• State of the waterfowl
  Mike Lubbock, executive director, Sylvan Heights Waterfowl
• Population Management of Anseriformes in AZA
  Keith Lovett, director, Buttonwood Park Zoo
• Photoperiod Manipulation of northern nesting waterfowl
  Jacob Kraemer, curator, Pinola Preserve
• Changing aviculture at the Pentshorpe Conservation Trust
  Kat McPherson, aviculture warden, Pentshorpe Conservation Trust
• Baer's pochard in the US: an assurance and research population for raising public awareness
  Jamie Ries, bird supervisor, Minnesota Zoo
• Observations and Insights into Captive Wildfowl in the UK
  Phoebe Young, aviculture warden, WWT Slimbridge
• Back to the Future! Aviculture then and now
  Nick Hill, curator of birds, Sylvan Heights Avian Breeding Center

Veterinary care, feb. 27, 2016

• Common diseases and toxins in captive waterfowl collections
  Dr. Laurie Degernes, professor, NC State Univ. College of Veterinary Medicine
• Common injuries in captive waterfowl collections: how recognize problems and recruit the help of a veterinarian
  Dr. Michele Goodman, Wright Veterinary Medical Center
• Avian tuberculosis and captive sustainability of the White-winged wood duck (Asacornis scutulata)
  Dr. Kim Cook, director of Animal Health and Conservation, Akron Zoo
• Current knowledge in waterfowl nutrition
  Dr. Liz Koutsos, director, Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition

Education, feb. 27, 2016

• Waterfowl as a key subject in vocational education
  Jan Harteman, teacher, Groenhorst Barneveld
• Ambassador Animal Collections: impacting avian awereness
  Juan Romero, associate curator of trained animal programs, Toledo Zoo
• White-winged wood duck research at the Hiram College James H. Barrow Biological Field Station
  Jim Metzinger, associate director of the J.H. Barrow Field Station
• Avian influanza: outreach education in a crisis
  Clayton Botkin, C. Botkin Enterprises

Conservation, feb. 28, 2016

• Brazilian merganser captive reproduction project
  Robert Kooij, general manager, Zooparque Itatiba
• The natural history and conservation of the scaly-sided merganser
  Chuck Cerbini, curator of birds, Toledo Zoo
• Science using captive birds to address management & conservation priorities
  Alicia Berlin, wildlife biologist, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
• Steller's eiders: the road to recovery
  Tasha DiMarzio, avian curator, Alaska SeaLife Center
• The waterfowl of North America, preview of a new handbook
  Frank S. Todd, president, Ecocepts International

More information:

• https://waterfowlconservation.org 
• International Wild Waterfowl Association 
• Sylvan Heights Bird Park