Harrison Avian Research & Conservation Collaborative

05/20/2026

Today, on World Bee Day, we celebrate the tiny pollinators that play a massive role in sustaining ecosystems, biodiversity, and food production around the globe. 🐝🌼

Bees are essential to the health of our planet — and protecting them means protecting the delicate balance of life that supports wildlife, agriculture, and conservation efforts worldwide.

HARCC is proud to support research that advances animal health and conservation, including bee studies led by Dr. Jörg Mayer. Every step toward understanding and protecting pollinators helps create a healthier future for all species.

Happy World Bee Day! 💛🐝

05/18/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HARCC Announces 2026 Request for Proposals Supporting Avian Research and Conservation

SOUTH PALM BEACH, Fla. — (HARCC) is pleased to announce its 2026 Request for Proposals (RFP), supporting innovative avian medical research and conservation initiatives.

HARCC invites proposals focused on advancing avian clinical care in areas such as diagnostics, therapies, surgery, nutrition, and behavior. The organization also welcomes conservation-focused projects that support the health, welfare, and long-term sustainability of avian species, including free-ranging companion bird species.

HARCC will allocate up to $100,000 in total funding for 2026, with individual one-year projects eligible for up to $20,000. Indirect costs are not covered.

Proposals may support:
• New or ongoing avian research projects
• Conservation-focused initiatives
• Research activities relevant to practicing avian clinicians

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with no fixed deadline. Funding decisions will be based on scientific impact, innovation, collaboration, and likelihood of success.
For proposal guidelines and submission information, visit https://harccresearch.org/research-proposals/.

About HARCC
is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing avian medicine and conservation through research funding, collaboration, and innovation.

Media Contact:
Daisy Perez, Executive Director
[email protected]

Harrison Avian Research and Conservation Collaborative (HARCC) was organized as a non-profit corporation in 2022. HARCC is committed to defining and solving challenges relevant to avian clinicians through research and conservation funding, and to supporting an environment that encourages new ideas a...

05/11/2026

Exciting advances in bee health! 🐝 This article highlights the first USDA-approved vaccine for honey bees and features insights from Dr. Jörg Mayer on what this breakthrough means for veterinary medicine and pollinator health. We’re proud to share that two of Dr. Mayers' bee studies are HARCC funded, supporting innovative research that benefits both animals and ecosystems. 🌎💛

Read more here: https://www.aaha.org/trends-magazine/publications/paradigm-shift-what-success-of-a-new-honeybee-vaccine-means-for-veterinarians/

A vaccine aims to combat American Foulbrood, a devastating, colony-killing disease, which typically requires equipment burning to eradicate. And with the larger role veterinarians are beginning to play in bees’—and beekeepers’—lives, the changes could impact how American Foulbrood is treated...

05/05/2026

🌙🐦 What’s flying over us at night? More than we ever knew.

A groundbreaking study from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has revealed a powerful new way to identify individual birds migrating under the cover of darkness—for the very first time.

Using thermal imaging, targeted illumination, and high-speed photography, researchers were able to detect and identify thousands of previously “invisible” night-flying birds over multiple migration seasons. This approach fills critical gaps left by traditional tools like radar and acoustic monitoring, uncovering species that migrate silently or fly too low to be detected.

Even more compelling? The technique is already reshaping what we thought we knew about migration—documenting unexpected nocturnal movement in species like woodpeckers and cardinals.

At HARCC, we’re inspired by innovations like this that deepen our understanding of avian behavior and open new doors for conservation and clinical insight—especially for species that share our homes as companions.

🧪💡 Advancing research like this is key to protecting both wild and pet bird populations.

🔗 Read the full article: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/new-tech-to-id-night-migrating-birds/

Using thermal imaging and digital photography, researchers can now spot and identify birds that migrate silently through the night sky—a method that could reveal new insights into nocturnal migration and bird behavior.

04/29/2026

**🪶 What a Molt Can Tell Us**

Molting is a natural and essential part of a bird’s life — but it’s also a window into overall health.

During a normal molt, birds gradually replace old feathers with new ones in a balanced, often symmetrical pattern. This process requires significant energy and nutrients, and when everything is functioning well, new feathers grow in smooth, vibrant, and strong.

But when something isn’t quite right, the molt can reveal it.

✨ **What to watch for:**
• Irregular or patchy feather loss
• Delayed or prolonged molts
• Fragile, dull, or misshapen new feathers
• Lack of symmetry in feather replacement

These changes can be linked to nutritional imbalances, chronic stress, hormonal disruptions, or underlying disease. Because feathers develop over time, they can reflect both current and past health challenges.

For avian veterinarians and researchers, molt patterns offer valuable clues — helping guide diagnosis, treatment, and a deeper understanding of avian physiology.

At HARCC, we support research that explores these connections, advancing the science of avian health from feather growth to whole-body wellness.

Because sometimes, the smallest changes can tell the biggest stories.

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day from HARCC 🌎🦜

Today is a reminder that the health of our planet and the health of birds are deeply connected. From the air they breathe to the habitats they depend on, environmental changes directly impact avian species—both in the wild and in our homes.

This Earth Day, consider small actions that make a big difference:
🌱 Support conservation efforts
🌿 Reduce waste and environmental toxins
🦜 Advocate for wildlife and habitat protection

Together, we can create a world where birds—and people—thrive.

04/13/2026

**🦜 Why Parrots Hide Illness**

Parrots are masters at masking when something is wrong — and it’s not by accident.

In the wild, birds that appear weak or sick are more vulnerable to predators and may even be pushed out of their flock. Over time, this has shaped a powerful survival instinct: **hide illness for as long as possible**.

That means by the time a parrot shows obvious signs — like fluffed feathers, decreased appetite, or changes in behavior — they may already be significantly unwell.

Subtle changes are often the first clues:
• Sitting quietly or sleeping more than usual
• Slight changes in droppings
• Less vocalization or interaction
• Small shifts in posture or balance

For avian veterinarians and researchers, understanding these early indicators is critical. Ongoing research helps improve early detection, treatment outcomes, and overall bird welfare — both in our homes and in the wild.

At HARCC, we support research that advances the science of avian health, because recognizing the *quiet signs* can make all the difference.

04/08/2026

**🧬 Why HARCC Funds Avian Research**

Behind every healthy bird is a foundation of science — and that science doesn’t happen without support.

At HARCC, we fund avian research because too many critical questions in bird health, medicine, and conservation still need answers. From improving clinical care for companion parrots to advancing knowledge that protects wild populations, research is the bridge between what we know and what birds need to thrive.

Our focus is on **impact-driven funding** — supporting projects that:
• Address real challenges faced by avian clinicians
• Expand scientific understanding of bird health and disease
• Contribute to conservation efforts through applied research
• Share findings that benefit both veterinary medicine and the broader avian community

Every grant we support is an investment in better outcomes for birds — in clinics, homes, and ecosystems around the world.

Because when we fund research, we’re not just supporting science… we’re helping shape the future of avian health.

04/03/2026

We’re happy to share this new resource from Harrison’s Bird Foods 📖

📖 Introducing The Learning Center at Harrison’s Bird Foods 📖

We’re excited to share a valuable new resource for bird owners, veterinarians, and avian enthusiasts alike—The Learning Center is now live on our website!

🔍 Explore a growing library of free educational content, including:

Avian health topics and clinical insights
Nutrition guidance backed by science
Veterinary resources and publications
Tools to help you better understand and care for your bird

At Harrison’s, we believe that education (not hearsay) is just as important as nutrition when it comes to supporting lifelong health.

👉 Visit the Learning Center today:
https://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com

🧠 Because informed care leads to healthier birds.

03/25/2026

01/20/2026

Sharing this AAV post with our community—worth a read for anyone interested in avian medicine and research.

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) is a viral infection caused by a member of the circovirus family. This infection can affect birds of any age but nestlings and young adults are at the greatest risk making it of particular concern for aviculturists. The infection has two forms – acute and chronic. In the acute form birds develop bone marrow suppression and liver failure. Parrots with chronic disease develop feather dystrophy and may develop abnormalities to the beak and nails. Chronically affected birds are immunosuppressed and often pass of secondary infections.
PBFD can affect any member of the psittacine family, however, it is most commonly recognized in cockatoos, eclectus, budgerigar, lories, lorikeets, African greys, and lovebirds. Infected parrots transmit the infection through their skin and feather dander, f***s, crop secretions, and potentially through the egg. As circoviruses are very stable in the environment and resistant to many disinfectants, this can present significant long-lasting problems for aviaries that have been exposed.
Unfortunately, only supportive treatment options are available and no commercial vaccines currently exist for PBFD. The best way to handle PBFD in the flock is to keep it out. Test all new birds before adding them to the aviary. If testing the feathers or f***s, be aware of the potential for false positive results from environmental contamination. When it comes to PBFD, taking a proactive approach to avoid infections can help aviculturists prevent larger problems later.

Quick facts
- Lovebirds have a higher rate of asymptomatic infections and can shed the virus despite the lack of clinical signs.
- It can take weeks to years after exposure to the virus for parrots to show clinical signs of the disease.
- The virus that causes PBFD is very stable in the environment and resistant to many disinfectants.

https://www.aav.org/blogpost/1787676/516109/Psittacine-Beak-and-Feather-Disease--An-Illness-Best-Avoided