Our July speaker will be Dr. Simon Starkey from the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine.  The title of Dr. Starkey’s lecture is ‘In sickness and in health: Avian ailments from Aspergillosis to Zinc’.  

Pet birds are at risk for several infectious and non-infectious diseases throughout their lives.  Many of these diseases are preventable with knowledge, care and adequate nutrition.  This lecture will cover the causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment of many of the most common ailments seen in pet birds from the tri-state area.  Some of the conditions covered include: lead and zinc toxicity, aspergillosis, mycobacteriosis, polyoma, psittacosis, and psittacine beak and feather disease.

Dr. Starkey’s bio:

Dr. Simon Starkey D.ABVP (Avian) joined the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine in the summer of 2008.  He graduated in 2001 from Australia’s oldest veterinary college, the University of Sydney.  Upon graduation he moved to Ithaca, NY and undertook a 6-month post-doctoral position studying influenza biology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.  In the fall of 2002 he was awarded a 4-year scholarship to undertake a PhD in epidemiology and veterinary preventive medicine at Cornell.  During this time he also volunteered as a clinician at Cornell University’s Wildlife Health Center.  Owing to his life-long interest in avian medicine and the extensive experience gained treating wild birds at Cornell’s Wildlife Health Center he then undertook a 2-year residency in avian, exotic pet and wildlife medicine at Cornell.  Dr. Starkey is Board Certified in Avian Medicine and is also eligible for certification in Preventative Medicine.