[Nhcoll-l] Keeping bills shut

[Symcha Gillette]

In addition to tying them shut with thread, I usually use a pin to secure
the bill and prevent the lower mandible from sliding backward. See attached
photos. Unlike an adhesive, it's not guaranteed to always keep the bill
tightly closed once the thread and pin are removed, but it generally does
the job.

-Symcha Gillette
Research Affiliate, University of Alaska Museum

On Thu, Nov 20, 2025, 5:57 AM Black, Nina <npblack at fas.harvard.edu> wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> Does anyone have advice for an archival glue that can be used to keep
> bills closed when preparing bird skins, or perhaps can suggest a good
> method for this? We always tie them shut with string through the nostrils,
> but for some birds that have long bills or oddly shaped ones it is hard to
> keep it closed. Some colleagues have used regular super glue, but I am not
> so keen on this idea
>
> Thanks,
> Nina
>
> *Nina Black*
> Curatorial Assistant
> Ornithology & Mammalogy
> Museum of Comparative Zoology
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