Dr. Michelle G. Hawkins
Michelle Hawkins, VMD, DABVP (Avian Practice) is a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California (UC), Davis, an Associate Director of the UC Davis One Health Institute Leadership Team, and the Director of the California Raptor Center.
Dr. Michelle Hawkins is a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, an Associate Director of the UC Davis One Health Institute Leadership Team, and the Director of the California Raptor Center.
Training & certification
Michelle Hawkins earned her veterinary medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997 and she completed a residency and fellowship in avian and exotic animal medicine and surgery at the University of California (UC) Davis in 2001. Dr. Hawkins became board-certified in Avian Practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practice (ABVP) in 2002 and joined the faculty of UC Davis after 2 years in private practice.
California Raptor Center
In 2013, Michelle became the Director of the California Raptor Center, the oldest raptor center in the nation. One of her proudest accomplishments is updating the medical care for the birds of the California Raptor Center, including enrichment, nutrition and annual examination protocols for ambassador birds. She developed monthly health checks to minimize captivity health issues, such as pododermatitis, obesity or weight loss. Dr. Hawkins also provides consulting services and handling labs for local, regional, and national wildlife veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, and renewable energy companies.
Research
Dr. Hawkins is first or senior author on over 50 avian publications in prominent journals, 20 book chapters, and 70 abstracts in avian medicine and surgery. Most of her research has focused on advancing evidence-based knowledge of avian analgesia, anesthesia and emergency and critical care. Collaborations with colleagues in other disciplines have resulted in publications in oncologic, ophthalmic, reproductive, clinical pathologic, pharmaceutical and infectious diseases in birds. Some of Dr. Hawkins’ clinical research has also evaluated diseases affecting captive and free-ranging populations of raptors and evaluated new ways to improve their welfare in captivity. Recently, her lab has been at the forefront of discovering three novel or emerging diseases in California raptors.
Avian & Exotic Pet Service
From 2003-2013, Michelle served as Chief of the UC Davis Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Service. She also helped to develop the companion and wild bird didactic curriculum at UC Davis using AVMA competencies or outcomes for the new UC Davis comparative curriculum introduced in 2015. Since her appointment in 2003, Dr. Hawkins has mentored 20 residents through either ABVP (Avian Practice) or American College of Zoological Medicine board certifications; 10 of whom are now in academia fostering the next generation of students. She also teaches graduate students through the Masters of Preventive Veterinary Medicine Graduate Group. Michelle has also served on many school, university and non-university committees over the years.
Professional organizations
Dr. Hawkins has been a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) since 2003. She has served on the Association’s Executive Board and Advisory Council as well as research, legislative, conference, educational, and strategic planning committees. And she recently became the Senior Editor of the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, the official publication of AAV.
Avian welfare
The Camp Fire was the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history and the first to have large numbers of birds rescued. The state of California did not have protocols for managing birds in this type of disaster, so in 2018, Michelle volunteered to help the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps disaster group and the UC Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team to evaluate and manage the birds. She organized “Team Avian”, supervising the triage and medical care of nearly 600 poultry and waterfowl that were brought to the fairgrounds for the first 2 weeks after the fire. Altogether, the “Avian Strike Force” supervised triage and medical care for more than 2,000 backyard poultry and waterfowl as part of the California Veterinary Emergency Team or C-VET.
Dr. Hawkins developed biosecurity and medical burn protocols that conformed to USDA regulations on medications that can legally be dispensed to (potential) food animals while still providing humane care for the burn victims. She also coordinated with C-VET to provide up-to-date information on avian patients within evacuation centers and she has also developed multiple forms for capturing data so that responses can be compared objectively, including an avian formulary and intake forms. Since the Camp Fire, Dr. Hawkins has become certified through the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corp and the California Office of Emergency Services. Dr. Hawkins shared, “Helping these animals and their families was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever experienced in my life”. She continues to volunteer during natural disasters, especially wildfires and oil spills, and is now in charge of developing specific protocols for housing and medical care for birds when the next disaster occurs in her state. In 2019, Dr. Hawkins received a UC Davis Aggie Hero Award for Service during the 2018 Camp Fire.
