Avian Hospital

Avian Hospital

Birds at the National Aviary receive the highest level of care from our team of dedicated, caring veterinarians. In our Avian Hospital, birds as small as Owl Finches and as large as Andean Condors, as common as a dove and as rare as the Extinct in the Wild Guam Kingfisher, receive care that is specialized for each individual bird’s needs and stage of life.

Dr. Pilar Fish, Senior Director of Zoological Advancement and Veterinary Medicine, and her outstanding team provide the National Aviary’s birds with dedicated prenatal, natal, and preventative care, as well as customized medicine and cutting-edge surgical and emergency treatment.

Each senior and special needs bird has a customized natural habitat designed for their preferences and with helpful aids such as ramps. The National Aviary staff prioritizes every bird’s comfort and daily well-being for these birds who play an important role in training the next generation of veterinarians. The mission of our skilled team is always to provide the very best and most thorough treatment and therapies to every bird, young or old.

African Penguin checkup at the National Aviary

Birds are amazing creatures, displaying an incredible diversity in size, behavior, diet, and physical attributes. But, they are also fragile creatures with complex respiratory systems that are prone to infections, delicate bones that fracture easily, and bodies too small for typical veterinary drug doses and surgical equipment. Their unique physiology requires that we be innovative in caring for them, and their care can be costly.

Donate today to help us continue to provide uncompromised care to the National Aviary’s flock.

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National Aviary Teaching Hospital

Our renowned Veterinary Teaching Hospital offers valuable opportunities to students interested in pursuing careers in veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, bird conservation, and environmental education. Through workshops, presentations, and publications, our veterinary expertise and technical advancements not only benefit students but also aid other veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitators worldwide.

We are dedicated to supporting the next generation of professionals through internships that provide training in field research, monitoring techniques, animal care, environmental education, and conservation practices. These experiences have had a profound impact here and in Latin America, South Africa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

An intern feeding a Fairy Blue-bird chick
Interns looking at x-rays alongside a National Aviary veterinarian.

In The News

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National Aviary to take over Shady Side Academy middle school | TribeLIVE

A Shady Side Academy alumnus is helping the National Aviary find a nest for its next breeding and conservation center, teaching hospital and educational space.

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National Aviary welcomes 10 new animal ambassadors | WPXI

The National Aviary is welcoming 10 animal ambassadors into its family.

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National Aviary gets 7 new species | MSN

The aviary says it's already home to more than 500 animals, and the new species highlight the importance of biodiversity in shared ecosystems. 

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National Aviary gets 7 new species | CBS News

Seven new species are getting a home at the National Aviary, and most of them aren't birds.

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National Aviary getting new avian conservation center | CBS News

The aviary is getting a new property, Shady Side Academy Middle School and it will create a first-of-its-kind conservancy. KDKA's Jessica Guay spoke with National Aviary executive director Cheryl Tracy about the new facility.

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