Curator of Birds

As Curator of Birds, you will lead the management, welfare and strategic development of the bird collection. Primary responsibilities include ensuring excellent avian husbandry, biosecurity, nutrition, enrichment, breeding, training and habitat standards; leading the bird-care team; and supporting safe, conservation focused and e icient operations within the Projects Department.

1.  Avian Care and Welfare:

• Oversee the daily care, husbandry and welfare of all bird species within the facility.
• Ensure birds receive appropriate nutrition, enrichment, veterinary attention, social management and species-specific husbandry.
• Maintain high standards of avian welfare, animal security, staff safety and compliance with facility policies and local regulations.
• Conduct daily health checks, behavioural observations, body-condition and feather-condition assessments, and husbandry training as required.
• Promptly identify and report bird health, welfare or behavioural concerns to veterinary staff and management.
• Ensure aviaries, exhibits, holding areas and breeding facilities are safe, clean, secure and fit for purpose.

2. Diet and Food Stock Management:

• Develop, implement and review species-specific dietary plans in consultation with veterinary staff and approved nutritional guidance.
• Monitor food quality, food preparation, storage, hygiene and feeding practices to ensure diets meet established standards.
• Maintain accurate feeding records, including feeding schedules, diet changes, food consumption, supplements and weight trends.
• Maintain appropriate stock levels of feed, supplements, browse, live food, nesting materials and husbandry supplies.
• Establish and maintain relationships with approved suppliers to ensure reliable and suitable food stock.
• Perform duties to reduce waste, control costs and communicate purchasing requirements and expenses accurately.

3. Staff Management:

•  Lead, train, mentor and motivate the avian care team.
• Create schedules, assign tasks and provide daily guidance to ensure efficient, safe and effective operations.
• Provide training in bird handling, husbandry, enrichment, biosecurity, record keeping, emergency response and safe working practices.
• Foster a positive work environment that promotes teamwork, accountability and professional development.
• Monitor team performance and identify development and training requirements.

4. Enrichment, Training and Breeding:

• Develop and implement species-appropriate enrichment programs that promote natural behavior and positive welfare outcomes.
• Oversees the implementation of voluntary husbandry-training programs to support health checks, weighing, movement and veterinary procedures where appropriate.
• Conduct behavioural observations to assess welfare, enrichment effectiveness and breeding readiness.
• Coordinate breeding, nesting, incubation, chick-rearing and hand-rearing programs as required.
• Maintain accurate enrichment, training, breeding and welfare records.

5. Biosecurity, Veterinary Support and Habitat Management:

• Ensures the implement and maintenance of avian biosecurity, quarantine, hygiene, disease prevention and pest-control procedures.
• Assist veterinary staff with examinations, treatments, medication administration, diagnostic sampling and post-treatment monitoring.
• Ensure sick, injured, stressed or deceased birds are managed and documented promptly in accordance with approved procedures.
• Monitor aviary condition, environmental parameters, perching, nesting areas, water systems where applicable and enclosure security.
• Identify maintenance needs and coordinate with relevant teams to ensure corrective action is completed promptly.

6. Team Collaboration and Administration:

• Work collaboratively with veterinary, animal-care, education, facilities and project teams to ensure seamless operations.
• Contribute to collection planning, including recommendations for bird acquisitions, transfers, social groupings, breeding and species placement.
• Maintain accurate collection records including identification, origin, sex, health status, breeding history, transfers and losses.
• Assist in emergency situations to minimize damage, loss or injury to guests, team members, animals or company property.
• Complete administrative tasks including daily animal health records, exhibit maintenance notes, stock reports and incident reports.
• Mentor junior staff and maintain the highest standard of guest service.
• Prepare annual budget requirements and support the department to remain within the approved budget.
• Engage with visitors and provide accurate information about birds, welfare and conservation when required.
• Other duties as assigned.

• 7 years + experience in professional avian husbandry, aviculture, zoological collections or a comparable setting required.
• Degree or diploma in Zoology, Animal Science, Wildlife Management, Biology, Avian Science or a related discipline preferred.
• Experience managing bird collections and large multicultural teams.
• Demonstrated knowledge of avian welfare, nutrition, enrichment, training, breeding management and biosecurity.
• Experience supporting avian veterinary procedures, quarantine and animal record keeping.
• Exceptional leadership skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience managing departmental budgets.
• Competency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Creative problem solver.

The individual must possess the following abilities to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some or a combination of the abilities:

• Ability to stand for long periods of time.
• Ability to work outdoors.
• Ability to read, listen and communicate e ectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to access and accurately input information using a moderately complex computer system.
• Hearing and visual ability to observe and detect signs of emergency situations.
• Requires the ability to perform the physical, visual and hearing requirements in the working conditions below.