Taxidermy - Mounting a Robin
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- WARNING - This is a taxidermy video. If you are sensitive to such material please do not watch! After mounting the woodpecker that had flown into a window, I found this Robin dead in my garden. Such a pretty little things, and so I decided to add it to the woodpecker and show you the same simple method being used on a small bird. In all the process.
Bob Ross of taxidermy tbh, tysm for this
Thank you for posting this! I found a fresh robin, and plan on mounting it as my first taxidermy piece. This will be helpful!
Good luck with that, the small birds are very delicate. It will be fiddly!
Be careful with where you are in the United States. Check you laws on birds because most are protected and illegal to own
Can you show me the finished result?
Omg I’m in the exact same situation did you end up finishing it ?
@@Lol-db6wm if u are in the USA don’t possess it! It’s illegal under the migratory bird treaty act.
Your voice is so calming, and you have the perfect commentary for this bird's video. Thank you, sir!
I usually articulate the skeletal structures of animals I find but my mother wants me to preserve her parakeet. I'm a lil lost on the taxidermy method on birds. But your vid seems much more detailed and to the point. Just watched a lil over 5 mins and now I'm gonna set up and and just follow along with you. My momma's wanting me to preserve her bird's skeleton so that its beauty wont go to dirt but I know that she'd absolutely love what more beauty could be brought with this method. So thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to show the rest of us how it's done.
Just make sure you have everything ready before you start, all tools and materials, take it carefully and all should go well.
How'd it turn out?
so how did it go?
I love this. It’s ethical, the person cares for the individual that passed away, and does an incredible job!
Thankyou. I am so pleased that you so sensibly see it that way. Many years ago I had a man "attack" me on here for doing so and NOT letting it rot naturally, as he put it!
Great video, its nice to hear how much you obviously treasure and respect these creatures and want to honor them by recapturing their beauty.
Thank you very much!
Excellent tutorial! I've been so very worried about venturing into avian taxidermy but I feel fairly confident after watching this, thank you so much
A small bird is no an easy start but, perhaps, something a little larger will not tear so easily? If you are pleased, send us a shot? :-)
What a beautiful work you did! this is exactly the kind of tutorial that i was looking for, thanks for sharing your knowledge :D
Thanks for your appreciation, makes the effort worthwhile.
Wife comes in:*what the devil are you doing?!*
Him:*well you see I, I, I umm
taxidermy*
She is well used to my strange and unusual life style and interests by now! lol. Artist etc. says it part of my attraction. Perhaps as well we only have 6 months a year together? lol?
Peterwoodarts wow i cant stop believe you actually replied your awesome thanks!
I always reply to questions and try to help. That's why my films are here. I also have a sense of humour but simply block any rude idiots! lol
Peterwoodarts cool thanks
Excellent video! My friend and I are going to give this a try with a small barn owl we found.
Only complaint is it the lighting during the process is alittle dark, so it's difficult to see the finer detail work, but your commentary helped immensely!
Finnally somebody who shows how to fold the wings properly! Thanks very much!
Glad it helped!
thank you so much for this helpful video! i recently found a handsome blackbird and i wanted to preserve his beauty but i've never done taxidermy before. though he was a little bigger than a robin it really helped to have this tutorial!
You're so welcome!
Thank for this information, I'm going to attempt to preserve a gold finch I found - a very small bird! Feel ready to try now after watching this
Best of luck, just take your time and be very gentle and careful.
Thank you so much for this. :) I found a dead robin myself and this video really helped me out. You're awesome.
Thanks Rachel.
My pet cockatiel died on Dec 20...it's Jan 15 today. My house is too too cold...I had covered his cage and everything...still he froze to death inside my bedroom. I had put his body in a box with camphor and stuff. It started smelling a little bit just 2 days ago...till now he had the sane talc fresh smell from life. Would it be possible to try this now...just starting to smell a bit I mean? It's still very cold here....the ambient temperature...or should I put him on the freezer first?
Help much appreciated...thank you.
You should have frozen it immediately really, unless you are going to mount it immediately, which I doubt as yo do not seem organised yet? In which case if it is not rotting you need to do so and might just get away with it.
This video was great. Thank you.. I'm definitely going to attempt this.... tho, if I may ask, what's the reason for the wire going thru the head and sticking out the front?
It is MERELY when setting up the birds and it's head. It is cut off afterwards. Perhaps seeing the rest of my taxidermy films will make all clear for you? Enjoy :-)
@@faith6651 awesome. Thank you for the reply. Its appreciated. I'll definitely check out your other videos... and will give this a shot sometime.
I found a little yellow finch outside in the yard. It was so perfect. I wanted to do something with it because it seemed such a shame to let the little thing go to waste. But I have never tried taxidermy before. Truth be told I was kind of afraid of watching any tutorials. But this was a lot less disturbing than I thought it would be. And it also doesn't seem as hard as I thought it would be either. You have a very kind sounding voice and are very good at explaining what you are doing. I think I might be able to do it.
I hope you froze it whilst deciding and collecting materials? Never mind if not as you may well have another chance later. Thankyou about my voice, I hope it reflects the person. :-) All takes practise but is worth trying. Good luck and ask if you get stuck? :-)
@@faith6651 Thank you for the offer! If I get stuck, I will. And yes, I did freeze it. Didn't' want it decomposing while I researched.
Fabulous video!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Good job! I enjoyed watching this.
How long would you let it dry before removing the wires?
Two weeks is the usual to tidy up.
Peterwoodarts can you do 1 week
I have a blue jay I was thinking of attempting to do but I don't have any styrofoam but everything else and was wondering if just stuffing the body with wool will work and if the wires would need to be done differently or the same way to be held in place in the middle?
You can use ordinary polystyrene or even balsa. Possibly if you made a good fine wire frame to start with, if using just stuffing, it maybe possible but getting the firmness to support legs, wings, head etc. have you thought of that?
@@faith6651 The only thing I was thinking that might have worked was crumpled up aluminum foil but I do have some polystyrene and my Grandpa has some styrofoam left over from re-flooring his boat :)
Thanks for replying I've been watching some of your other vids and the Pheasant one helped out as it is a bigger bird. Going to give it a try this weekend
@@Panda-od9uj if you’re in the USA I’m sure it’s illegal to possess a blue jay because of the migratory bird treaty act
I never did a whole animal before, just dryed out some wings and legs, but today I found such a pretty chaffinch I've decided to give it a try. I'm always getting sad when those beautifull creatures go to waste. This video will be really helpfull for sure. Maybe will make an update later about how it went
Yes, good luck. Hope to see your success in the update! :-)
Just what I needed , tnx !
Any tips with broken legs, I have a robin I’m planning on doing but has a broken leg
Should not be a problem. When you push the supporting wire inside the leg just make sure all is aligned and all will stand and look natural.
Thank you very much for making this video, it's so interesting and helpful!
I've been using salt on the bird skin after fleshing it and letting it rest for about three days before washing it. The skin always seems to shrink after rinsing and drying it, which means I can't fit the artificial body inside it anymore. Do you know what I can do to prevent this?
Possibly follow the advice I give here and use Borax not salt?
@@faith6651 Thanks, I'll try it!
So long as you clean it well and rub borax well in you will not need to wash it.
@@faith6651 Won't it be necessary to wash it in order to get rid of dirt or blood in the feathers? It sounds reasonable to not wash it, but in every other instruction I've seen so far they did it. I'm just curious about the difference (if there is any).
IF your subject has a lot of blood or dirt then maybe, usually a small amount can be removed carefully just using cotton wool or tissue and water. For fur I was originally shown and found that rubbing the borax into that area dries and removes blood etc. Each to his own? Many different ways. My mounts have lasted 20 years plus so far without problems?
Thank you so much for this
I have several other films on taxidermy that may assist you?
excellent work, the only improvement would be to place the borax in front or on the side away from the camera.
I have been thinking of trying to mount a bird (since my only other peice was a coyote cape that the seller tanned horribly)
Well I hope my films help, possibly watch the others also?
@@faith6651 i definately will!
Where do you get the eyes?
Taxidermy supplies on ebay or look at snowdonia taxidermy on google?
David Attenboroughs little brother
well done!
What guage wire would you say you used for this project?
I just collect wire as I need and see. lol. Then guese what gauge required on the job. Experience tells you what too choose by what weight it is to support and where.
@@faith6651 that helps! Thank you so much for the reply
Do we have anything else that can use instead of borex??
Yes there are other chemicals and plenty of other videos showing such, but I wonder why you ask as borax is so easy to obtain, easy to use, cheap and relatively harmless?
Isn’t illegal to posses these
No, not in the UK anyway, providing the animal died of natural causes.
it is in most of north america, but not everywhere
13:36 There aren't any hummingbirds native to Australia. Some honeyeaters (eg. eastern spinebill) or rainbow bee eaters do somewhat resemble hummingbirds (which are native to the Americas).
Not quite sure what this comment is relevant to here, but interesting info ta!
@@faith6651 If you click the timelink 13:36 it sounds as though you may have some misidentified specimens. Pleasure to help! I learned a lot watching the video, so thanks in return (from Australia). =)
Aha! I hear you. Yes a couple definitely look like humming birds - would photo and send, but that box is in France and I am here in UK for Xmas! :-) I understand your message now, so glad you found film useful and thanks again for contact and info.
Where did you get your eyes?
There are just so many taxidermy supplies on Google and ebay? A good UK one is "Snowdonia taxidermy" but possibly you are in the USA?
Peterwoodarts yes, I am in the USA
FYI: I am a taxidermist of 45 years and songs birds (the robin being one of the) along with a number of other birds in the United States are federally protected!
Yes there are many differences throughout the world. Many birds are protected here, also,
as is the Robbin and many one would not dream of killing anyway! These are natural causes, but I expect you speak about not even being able to mount even dead ones? Our Robbins are very different yours :-0
Finally a good video that shows every little step on a bird. I needed details very specifically on head, wings, tail, etc. This was very helpful. Time to get those gulls mounted.
How do you recommend cleaning the bird? This swallow I’ve found looks like it’s broken it’s wing and has a bit of blood on it.
Once you have skinned it and rubbed the borax well inside also rub borax, gently, into the messy areas. After a few clean applications most, if not all, of the blood will go. If not then cotton wool and a little water. Once complete gently blow dry the area with a hair dryer and it should fluff up again.
Thank you very much!
This was so wonderful 😊 your voice is incredibly relaxing to listen to. Thank you!
My pleasure, thankyou for the compliment!
this has got to be the most chaotic taxidermy video ive come across but i dont mean it in a bad way
A most interesting comment for a step by step :-)
I always wondered how taxidermy works with feathers instead of fur
Going to do this tomorrow, unfortunately it's too late and I had to freeze the bird for a while. Wish me luck
I do indeed. It is a bit fiddly on a small bird if your first project.
Love it!!!!! Great tutorial helped so much! 💕
Everyone check the legality of birds in your area!! Even if it’s found dead, it’s illegal to take any parts from birds protected under the MBTA or any birds of prey in the US. You can get fined even for picking a feather off the ground, do some research before picking up any bird.
Even where you are allowed to make use of dead animals you must take great care of how they died! If it looks like a road kill but was in fact shot and was a protected species you can be prosecuted!
What size eyes and where can I find them? I've never done this before but a blue tit seems to have flown into my kitchen window this morning and passed away. I have it in the freezer for now and I'm looking to hopefully find the right materials to preserve and mount it myself
Ok you have done the right thing. Easiest way to gauge eye size is simply to measure and add compensation to fit the eye within the socket and lids.
Interesting to find a UK taxidermist using borax, I wasn't sure it was available over here
IF you are in the USA then it can be obtained as "three mules washing soda".
We found a dead robin today and forgot about it in the garage for 8 hours. I put it in the fridge over night. Is it too late to work with it?
That would depend upon how long it was dead before you found it, and how warm it was in the garage afterwards? :-) If it still smells ok, not fly blown and eyes dry and sunken, possibly.
@@faith6651 Thanks for the reply! Cool garage and it looked to be a fresh death. No flies. Eyes dry. Hum...I'll check on the smell. Thank you!
COOL
Fantastisk jobb! Thank you so much for this vidio! My cat was took one beautifill bird, when i get from was to late to help him, so i start think about taxidermy! From your vidio i can try Five him another live! But i can ask witch stuff you use for 'mąkę body'?
Styrofoam.
Thank you so much!!
Thank you very much for this detailed video! I've finally found the motivation to work on a bird that collided with a glass door at my uni (poor fella). I'm not finished yet, but it's looking pretty nice so far. Thanks!
Can I ask why you out borax in while skinning?
Thought I mentioned this during the film, as it is so important ? No worry though. :-) It cleans off grease and fat as you work, makes holding the skin easier but most importantly is the preserving agent. So although you clean off working and messy first coats you leave the final.
such a beautiful little robin, poor guy. I plan on learning taxidermy, and this was very helpful, thankyou!
Thank you! Sadly a few young magpies got fried on a hotwire (one of them smells especially like burnt chicken) and I wanted to taxidermy them as I am interested in it as a hobby. I'm new to birds since I was not planning on recovering them but I thank you for this :)
I wish you luck then and all will not be wasted.
Ahhh thank you sooo much. Fiddly for my first try I know, but I really want to taxidermy the goldfinch that just flew into our window, poor fellow. :( I am trying to gather supplies and am wondering, what brand and thickness of wire did you use? The taxidermy websites never seem to talk below 18 gauge (1.02mm) and that's for birds like quails which are much bigger than the likes of goldfinches and robins!
Usually going into a hardware or even garden shop allows you to select a few you will need. Best to look, that way you suddenly realise what is available for future needs also? Small birds, larger bird wings. larger birds legs, animals etc. Instinct will tell you in your case I am sure! :-)
@@faith6651 I don't think it will unfoetnuately, I have no clue what I'm doing, and because of covid I think I'll have to buy online!
Are there any alternatives you can use for the borox such as salt or something?
If I had a pound for every time this one was asked, as you will see if you find time to look through my past taxidermy films? lol :-) OK, I advise this method because it it is a time honoured traditional and simple tested method using simple materials you can obtain on the internet, hardware store or even local pharmacy. Why then do you need to ask if alternatives may be used? NO salt will not do, it will draw water and damp to it and rot. There are many more expensive chemicals you can buy from taxidermy supplies, but simple Borax or in the USA, three mules washing soda, works perfectly well and if used sensibly is harmless. It preserves and dries the skin and repels flies, but leaves the skin hard and dry. If you seek an natural and cheap alternative for tanning a skin that leaves the skin soft, then ( gory as it sounds ) rub in the brains of the animal into the skin.
thank you for this
Yes so long as it was not too far gone you have every chance, but small birds are not easy! Good luck!
Were you able to taxidermy it? I have a bird in my freezer too that I want to try
so you start with the scalpel and tear it further open ?
More like gently peel it apart if possible as you also pull away the skin.
What gauge wire do you use ?
I simply keep a mix of different bits and bobs from fine to vineyard wire and choose accordingly! lol.
I just did a robin, this same way, tonight! Your videos inspire me