Customer Spotlight: Amelia Realzola
At the heart of the UC Davis avian research community is Amelia Realzola, Senior Animal Technician for the Avian Facility. Based at Meyer Hall and the poultry headquarters, Amelia plays a vital role in ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of the birds that support teaching, research, and outreach across campus.
Amelia’s connection to UC Davis began long before her current position. She completed her undergraduate degree here from 2018–2022 and will celebrate four years in her current role this November. She previously served as a peer advisor for the Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology department; an experience that helped shape her passion for mentorship and student support.
In her role as Senior Animal Technician, Amelia’s primary focus is animal husbandry. Each day, she ensures that birds have access to clean water, proper nutrition, and a safe, healthy environment. Her work spans multiple species, including orange-winged Amazon parrots, chickens of many breeds, red junglefowl, Japanese quail, and cockatiels. The job also involves extensive cleaning and maintenance to uphold high standards of animal care and research integrity.
Beyond daily care, Amelia supports both graduate and undergraduate students. She helps set up research rooms, ensures students have the equipment they need for projects, and provides training on proper bird handling techniques. Undergraduate students often participate through internships, while graduate students conduct research-based projects that rely on carefully managed environments and healthy animals. Amelia sees herself as someone who helps students feel prepared and confident in their work.
Her favorite part of the job? Working directly with the birds. She proudly calls herself a “certified bird nerd” and describes her position as a true blessing. As a first-generation college student, Amelia recalls starting at “square one” with little guidance on navigating higher education. That experience now fuels her desire to mentor students and provide the support she once needed. Helping others grow professionally is just as meaningful to her as caring for the birds themselves.
Like any role, the work comes with challenges. Long-term planning and scheduling months in advance can stretch her skill set, and preparing for worst-case scenarios requires careful backup planning. The manual labor can also be demanding, but she embraces that physical aspect of the job as part of what makes it fulfilling.
Amelia also reflects warmly on her early days in the role. She remembers initially struggling with properly calling in temperature alarms and appreciates the patience and support she received from colleagues. She gives a special shout-out to the entire Facilities Management Customer Experience Center team, noting how welcoming and encouraging they were.
Outside of work, Amelia’s love for wildlife continues. Bird watching is her favorite hobby, but she also enjoys scrapbooking, journaling, hiking, plant identification, and “herping”—searching for amphibians and reptiles in their natural habitats. When she’s not outdoors, she’s likely binge-watching movies or TV shows.
Above all, Amelia emphasizes how accommodating and warm the lab environment is. The avian facility isn’t just a workplace, it’s a fostering community built on collaboration, patience, and shared passion for animal care and student success. Through her dedication to both birds and people, Amelia Realzola embodies the spirit of UC Davis research and mentorship.