Bird Taxidermy With Allis Markham

Step inside the studio of Allis Markham, award-winning taxidermist and educator, to learn the art, science, and ethics of preserving animal corpses. We’ll begin with a walkthrough of the process of taxidermy; Allis will discuss techniques of both mammal and bird taxidermy—prepping skins, tanning leather, sculpting forms, mounting, and finishing work. Allis will spend the bulk of this course demonstrating the process of mounting a European Starling from start to finish, using techniques you can try at home.

By the end of this course, you’ll not only have a deeper understanding of taxidermy, but you’ll also be equipped with printable PDFs outlining each step as well as tools that will help you practice bird taxidermy at home. At the very least, you’ll leave this course with a new appreciation for the anatomy of the creatures you encounter in your neighborhood or backyard.

While this class is designed for all beginners, it can serve as an appropriate learning tool for makers of all levels. Please be advised that your instructor will be handling biological specimens on camera.

A Note on Course Materials & Format: Please note that this course was originally offered live on Zoom to a group of students. You may hear references to resources that were originally posted on the Google Classroom, and these materials can now be found in your course player. You may also hear an Atlas Obscura moderator facilitating a live Q&A session, references to Zoom features, and the original dates and schedule of the live course—please disregard this information. Enjoy the course!