piscivore

Article 

Raptor Anatomy Fundamentals

Veterinary health professionals may be presented with raptors or birds of prey from the wild or those held for education, research, captive breeding, or falconry. If you are comfortable with the basics of avian anatomy and physiology, then you are well on your way to understanding raptors. However, this taxonomic group has many unique anatomic and physiologic adaptations that allow these birds to pursue and catch prey, including flight, beak, and talon modifications. The following collection of raptor
anatomy and physiology facts should serve the reader well during physical examination, clinical care, and/or necropsy.

Article 

Raptor Gastrointestinal Anatomy and Physiology

Raptors are a diverse group of birds consisting of three taxonomic orders: Strigiformes (owls), Falconiformes (falcons and caracaras), and Accipitriformes (hawks, eagles, and remaining families). Although the normal diet of free-living raptors varies considerably among species, all raptors hunt and feed on other animals. Meat and fish-eaters possess unique gastrointestinal characteristics that reflect their predatory lifestyle. This review article begins with unique features of the bill and oropharynx, then describes distinctive features of gastrointestinal tract before concluding with pellet formation and egestion and digestive strategies.

Article  Client Education Handout  Video  Webinar 

Reptile and Amphibian Nutrition

Dr. Thomas Boyer presented this live, interactive webinar. The RACE-approved recording discusses nutrition, the leading cause of disease in reptiles and amphibians. Chronic nutritional diseases remain common, including nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, hepatic lipidosis, protein deficiency, hypovitaminosis A, hypervitaminosis A, pyramidal shell growth, renal disease, urocystoliths, thiamine deficiency, vitamin E/selenium deficiency, steatitis, corneal lipidosis, and obesity. The goal of this web-based seminar is to educate veterinary health professionals such that they can provide sound nutritional advice to reptile and amphibian keepers. Dr. Boyer has also shared his client education handout on growing mealworms and superworms.

Article 

Feeding the Hospitalized Bird of Prey

All raptors consume a meat-based diet ranging from the specialist diet of the fish-eating osprey (Pandion haliaetus) to a generalist diet that can include insects, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and even carrion. Other than poultry, the exact nutritional requirements of birds are unknown, however the natural raptor diet is always relatively high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates. Whole prey diets have a calcium/phosphorus ratio of 1.5:1 as the bird actually consumes the bones as well as the meat…

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