[Nhcoll-l] Converting bird mounts

Mon Sep 4 03:05:40 EDT 2023

Dear Mackenzie,

I suggest to reconsider the idea of altering a mount. I can understand 
that making a study-skin of it, has a positive effects for storage, but 
the mounts will suffer a great deal of damage. Its in a way like taking 
a old painting out of its frame and roiling it up to safe space.

If the other option would be to discard them, then you can try using 
chopped cherry laurel leaves, which soften the skin very nicely. But 
then you will have to take out the old mannequin from inside and re-wire 
everything to an adequate study-skin mount. This is a procedure that 
requires a lot of practice, knowledge of bird taxidermy, time and 
patience. And don't forget about good PPE, since old bird mounts usually 
have a lot of banned preservation chemicals.

There is a fantastic older paper on the subject of cherry laurel in German:

Wechsler K., J. Fiebig, A. Henche, U. Plackinger, M. Rauer-Gömann, and 
H. Scheidt. 2001. Über das Weichen trockengefallener Alkohol- und 
Formalinpräparate, Herbarblätter und von Tapagewebe. Der Präparator 
47(1):15–31.

All the best,

Am 03.09.23 um 21:03 schrieb Kirchner-Smith, Mackenzie:

> Hello all,
>
> I have a question about the process of converting bird mounts into 
> skins, or at least making them more compact to be properly stored in 
> drawers with skins.
>
> I have some mounted birds where they are the only specimen we have of 
> that species, and I would like to store them with the skins. I know I 
> have seen mounts ‘converted’ into skins, such that the feet and pushed 
> down and (when necessary) the head is straightened out to be in line 
> with the body. We have some in our collection that I can tell used to 
> be mounts. Has anyone ever done this, or know how to go about doing 
> this? These are birds with wires in the legs, etc. I’m not sure if 
> they should just be moved or if it would be better to try and soften 
> them somehow before. Or if this ‘conversion’ isn’t a recommended 
> course of action at all.
>
> Thank you for any help or advice in advance.
>
> - Mackenzie
>
> *Mackenzie Kirchner-Smith*, she/her
>
> Museum Curator, Integrated Biology
> */San Bernardino County Museum/*
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