Things I wish I knew before becoming a Bird Keeper

Hi, I’m Elijah, Zoo Atlanta’s newest Bird Keeper. Birds have always been my passion. I always thought working with birds meant I had to become an avian veterinarian, but I didn’t like seeing birds who were sick or injured. So, I looked at other options and learned about bird keeping in the zoological profession. Before I get into what I wish I knew before becoming a Bird Keeper, here’s a little background on my start at Zoo Alanta. I started in Grounds Quality and hoped to one day move up and work in the Bird Department. Then, about three months into that position, an internship opportunity within the Bird Department opened, so I applied. I started the internship and I realized on day one that I wanted to do this forever. Soon after the internship ended, a Bird Keeper position opened, and I got the position.

Now, let’s begin! So, the first thing I wish I knew before becoming a Bird Keeper was how much actually goes into bird keeping. I thought that it was a simple job where you just cleaned up after the birds and got to watch and train them all day. It’s not that easy! There’s a lot more that goes into it; you must make sure the birds are healthy every day and notice little changes since birds love to hide it when something is wrong. Different bird species have different diet requirements, and when they have chicks, that diet may change. Some foods are also not fun to work with, like the stork diet, which is a heavy fish diet with three feeds a day over ice.

Another thing I didn’t realize was that some birds show aggression toward humans for a variety of reasons, so you must make sure you are safe while shifting them out of the space you’re trying to enter. We must enter the habitats daily for servicing to ensure the cleanliness of the habitat.

I also didn’t realize how much time management you need to have to properly do the job. When I first started as a full-time keeper, it was a struggle and still is sometimes with time management. I’ve had days where I’m so behind and have no time to do anything extra in the day, or there were unexpected vet appointments, and you just don’t have the time to do routine to the fullest.

While I’m in habitats or doing Keeper Talks, I get asked all the time what it takes to become an animal care professional, and there’s no one answer. The way I became a keeper is different from the other keepers I work with, and we all made it to the same place. I don’t currently have a four-year degree (I’m working on it!), but I did an internship, and that counted for experience required to start as a Keeper I. Other people have never done internships and have a degree and are now Keepers. Everyone’s way in is different. The one thing I will say is do your job and enjoy what you’re doing; people notice good work more than you trying to impress them.

That being said, this is an amazing profession, and no two days are the same. People always say to find a job that doesn’t feel like work, and I think I’ve finally found that. I enjoy this field of work so much, the community that’s behind it,  and how we all have a similar goal and passion for conservation and maintaining the highest level of animal care.

Elijah C.
Keeper I, Birds