Ornithological Collection Research Articles

One Hundred and Thirty-Five Years of Ornithology in Bulgaria: The Role of the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in the Development of Ornithology in Bulgaria—Representatives, Collections and Achievements

For the first time, an attempt has been made to present, chronologically and in a systematized form, the development of ornithological studies at the National Museum of Natural History in Sofia (Bulgaria) from its foundation in the last decades of the 19th century to the present day. This 135-year period (1889–2024) includes the work of 12 curators of the ornithological collections. Their major contributions and most-significant ornithological publications are also presented.

New methods for estimating the total wing area of birds.

Dispersal is a fundamental process in evolution and ecology. Due to the predominant role of flight in bird movement, their dispersal capabilities can be estimated from their flight morphology. Most predictors of flight efficiency require an estimate of the total wing area, but the existing methods for estimating wing area are multi-stepped and prone to compounding error. Here, we validated a new method for estimating the total wing area that requires only the measurement of the wingspan plus two measurements from the folded wings of study skin specimens: wing length and wing width. We demonstrate that the new folded-wing method estimates total wing area with high precision across a variety of avian groups and wing shapes. In addition, the new method performs as well as the old method when used to estimate natal dispersal distances of North American birds. The folded-wing method will allow for estimates of the total wing to be readily obtained from thousands of specimens in ornithological collections, thus providing critical information for studies of flight and dispersal in birds.

Type specimens and type localities of birds (Aves) collected by Gustav Adolf Fischer (1848–1886) in East Africa

Gustav Adolf Fischer (1848–1886) was an important German naturalist and ornithological collector in Africa. The extensive ornithological collections from his several expeditions were sent to at least two different museums (Zoological Museum Berlin and Zoological Museum Hamburg), and to a smaller extent, some private sales are assumed. Together with Anton Reichenow, Fischer described many species new to science, so the many types in the collections make them especially important. We located 616 bird specimens in the collections of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and the Museum der Natur Hamburg along with a few further specimens in the collections of the Museum Heineanum Halberstadt, the Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden, The Natural History Museum-UK (Tring), the American Museum of Natural History, New York and the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. Among these, type specimens for 133 species and subspecies of birds were traced. For all of them, an update of the collecting localities with particular emphasis on some previously unknown locations is provided. A taxonomic update of the described species is given and a designation of lectotypes for the following four taxa was necessary: Francolinus Altumi G.A. Fischer & Reichenow, 1884, Accipiter minullus tropicalis Reichenow, 1898, Hypochera ultramarina var. orientalis Reichenow, 1894 and Spinus citrinelloides frontalis Reichenow, 1904b.

A Cross-Sectional Survey of Gastrointestinal Parasites in an Ornithological Garden.

Captive birds in collections may be infested with a wide range of parasites. Globally, information on parasitic infections and their health implications in ornithological collections are scarce. In the present study, the prevalence of parasitic infections in an ornithological garden in Tehran was investigated. Samples (n = 109) from various bird species were collected. Direct wet smear, sedimentation, flotation with Sheather's sugar, and modified Ziehl-Neelsen and Giemsa staining were used for parasite screening. Parasites were identified in 57 (52.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 42.9-61.7) samples, with protozoans being the most frequently observed organisms, including Cryptosporidium species, Eimeria species, Isospora species, Trichomonas species, and Histomonas species. Helminths were observed in 29 (26.6%, 95% CI 18.3-34.9) of the samples and included strongyles, Capillaria species, and Raillietina species. Ectoparasites were rarely recovered, but 2 species were identified: the poultry shaft louse (Menopon gallinae) and the fowl tick (Argas persicus). Free-ranging birds were significantly (P < 0.001) more likely to have parasites in their feces than caged birds. Fecal parasitic infections were order dependent and more prevalent in the Anseriformes and Galliformes (P < 0.05). The frequency of gastrointestinal parasites was notable in the investigated collection. In open natural bird gardens, such as in the present study, the probable transmission routes and sources of the parasitic infections are most likely via the free-ranging avian species. It is wise to recommend regular screening of the birds in these gardens to improve preventive control measures. Additionally, parasite genotyping should be considered to clarify our understanding of the epidemiology of zoonotic and nonzoonotic parasites.

The first Colombian records of the Antillean Nighthawk (Chordeiles gundlachii), with notes on migrant Chordeiles in South America

The Antillean Nighthawk (Chordeiles gundlachii), a species very similar to the Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor), was presumed to migrate to South America following breeding in the Caribbean region. However, no concrete evidence of its presence there existed prior to 2018, when a geolocation study revealed the migration route and wintering area in western Brazil of an individual, including its possible presence in the Venezuelan-Colombian border during its fall migration. We found two misidentified specimens of this species in series of C. minor in two Colombian ornithological collections that definitely established its presence in Colombia. We also compare the migration paths of C. gundlachii with those of a similar study of the migrations of C. minor. We highlight the scarcity of spring specimens of both species in these collections, a pattern also evident in spatiotemporal modeling based on community science data. We suggest that further examination of series of C. minor in other South American collections, including genetic analyses, wider movement tracking studies, and stable isotope analyses could clarify the nonbreeding distributions of both migratory nighthawks. In addition, Antillean Nighthawk flight calls are distinctive and a good indicator of its presence thus can help to detect it and better understand its migration routes.

The ornithological collection of the Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania - Part 1: the catalogue of bird skin specimens.

This paper reviews the bird skin collection housed in the Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The collection includes 925 specimens, belonging to 193 species from 53 families and 20 orders, collected between 1859 and 2021. Due to its historical background and the presence of rare species, it is considered to be one of most important ornithological collections in Eastern Europe. Such a collection can serve as a basis for valuable ornithological studies. Furthermore, a map representation with new distribution data for bird species is provided, which represents a source of information for the status of the avifauna of the Carpathian basin in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Type specimens of birds of the genus Batis (Aves: Platysteiridae) at the Museum fr Naturkunde Berlinnbsp.

The ornithological collection of the Museum fr Naturkunde Berlin houses an important collection of birds of the genus Batis, with many type specimens used in descriptions dating from the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. Some of these scientific names are still in use today, but others are synonyms. We herein provide an updated list of all this type material for 10 names (species and subspecies) with 34 types and 21 paratypes, and we designate a lectotype for Batis puella Reichenow, 1893.

Extinct and endangered (‘E&amp;E’) birds in the ornithological collections of the Musée de la Vallée, Barcelonnette, France, with comments on a Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus egg

The Musée de la Vallée in Barcelonnette, France, houses two privately assembled ornithological collections totalling 1,405 mounted birds and 1,686 eggs, mostly from the 19th century. According to the current IUCN Red List of threatened species, the mounts and eggs represent 36 and 18 extinct or endangered (‘E&E’) bird species, respectively. This article concentrates on the specimens of ‘E&E’ species that deserve special curatorial care. The list includes one extinct and six threatened species. Special mention is made of a Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus egg that is apparently one of the oldest of this species in the world’s collections. In addition to IUCN status, the EDGE score of each species is also specified.

M.I. GAVRILENKO’S SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS IN 1940–50s

Summary. The purpose of the research is to reveal the peculiarities of the naturalist M.I. Havrylenko (1889‒1971) research work during the 40’s ‒ 50’s years of the twentieth century; to show his personal ability to study nature in terms of the tendency attitude to the scientist in the postwar period, due to the peculiarities of the biography. The research methodology is based on the principles of historical reliability, objectivity, systemcity, multifactoriality, scientificity and comprehensiveness; use of general scientific research methods (analytical, synthetic, logical, classification); historical (problem-chronological, comparative-historical, historical-genetic, retrospective) and interdisciplinary. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that it is the first time in modern history the scientific heritage of the zoologist M.I. Havrylenko on the basis of his published works during the 40’s ‒ 50’s years of the twentieth century is learned. It is established that, despite the negative attitude of society to the scientist, he continued working productively. To form scientifically reliable results of studying different classes of animals, he used the methods of zoology, as well as botany, anatomy, osteology, physiology, physical geography, geology, paleontology, ecology, biocenology and other sciences. Conclusions. After almost twenty years’ study of the vertebrate fauna of Poltava region, the scientist obtained several fundamental results: 1) identified changes in species quantity, 2) deepened the knowledge of little-known animal species, 3) studied the herpetofauna of Poltava region, thus expanding his own scientific interests, 4) clarified the issue of zoogeography of black grouse in historical retrospect, 5) conducted a comparative species analysis of birds of the genus Ocheretyanka for different ecotopes in the biogeocenosis, 6) conducted an analysis of new and little-known bird species in the Poltava region in the space-time continuum (1929‒1958), 7) continued the formation of a unique ornithological collection, importantly. In general, it is emphasized that the scientific progress of the zoologist M.I. Havrylenko during this period was productive and effective.

A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections

The methods used to preserve bird skins in museums have a potentially crucial impact on the feasibility and use of these specimens as a source of biological knowledge, although this subject is rarely broached. Study skins of birds are usually prepared with folded wings and straight legs to facilitate storage in the collection; yet, this method can hamper the measurement and examination of certain important features such as wing-feather moult. To make consultation easier for ornithologists, alternative preparation methods such as the splitting of wings and tarsi from the rest of the animal have been proposed by curators. Our aim was to study whether or not preparing bird specimens with spread limbs makes consultation simpler. First, we used two different methods to prepare two specimens each of two common European passerine species: (1) ‘traditional’ (folded wings and straight tarsi) and (2) ‘spread’ (limbs spread on one side of the body). Then, we asked 22 experienced ornithologists to identify moult limits and take three biometric measurements (wing chord, length of the third primary feather and tarsus length) from all four specimens. Subsequently, we asked which preparation method they preferred for obtaining data. The ‘spread’ preparation was preferred for moult, third primary feather length and tarsus length, whilst the ‘traditional’ preparation was preferred for wing chord. Data obtained from the folded and spread preparations were very highly repeatable within each method but only moderately to highly repeatable between methods. One of the handicaps with the ‘spread’ preparation is the increase in storage space required, a factor that should be taken into account before it is employed. Nevertheless, this specimen preparation technique can greatly facilitate consultation and therefore improve the scientific value of ornithological collections.

Birds of the Juruá River: extensive várzea forest as a barrier to terra firme birds

The Jurua River is the third largest white-water tributary of the Amazon River, yet, historically, it has not been considered an important barrier for bird communities. The upper region of the Jurua River was the focus of two ornithological collections in the early twentieth century, but the middle region, where the river and surrounding varzea flooded forest widen, has remained largely unexplored by ornithologists. Inspired by Dr. Emilie Snethlage, whose ornithological expeditions to Amazonian rivers during the early twentieth century were foundational in documenting the importance of river barriers, we undertook a month-long expedition to the middle Jurua River. We collected the first modern specimens, high-quality tissues, and sound recordings of birds from the middle Jurua region. Combining our data with those from previous collections, we present the first comprehensive inventory of bird species from the Jurua region, document several significant range extensions, and report the first evidence that the middle Jurua River acts as a barrier in at least four species complexes of terra firme upland forest birds. Our findings have important taxonomic and biogeographic implications for birds of the Jurua region and southwestern Amazon basin.

Fungus and Feathers: Combatting a Mold Outbreak in an Ornithological Collection

Abstract The ornithological collection of the National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon includes over 6,800 bird skin and loose feather specimens. These are essential reference material for the morphological identification of avian evidence in wildlife crime investigations by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In the summer of 2020, these specimens were moved from several locations and installed in a new building dedicated to the laboratory's bird, mammal, and herpetological collections. Following installation in the new building, a severe outbreak of mold was discovered in many of the cabinets containing bird specimens. This paper reports on the likely cause of the mold outbreak and the actions taken to control it, preserve the specimens, and prevent future outbreaks.

Type specimens of Birds in the Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali (Torino, Italy)

Since the 1990s, the Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino houses the ornithological collection formerly belonging to the Zoological Museum of the University of Turin (MZUT). This collection includes about 20,500 specimens, mostly dating from the second half of the nineteenth century or early twentieth. The high number of type-specimens gives it great historical and scientific significance. The types have been described mainly by Tommaso Salvadori (171 taxa, 282 specimens) and, to a lesser extent, by other Italian authors such as Enrico Festa, Filippo de Filippi, Orazio Antinori, Enrico H. Giglioli or by foreign authors as John Gould, Eduard Rüppell, Coenraad Jacob Temminck, Philip L. Sclater, Robert Swinhoe.

Terns (Sterninae) in the collection of the Slovenian Museum of Natural History

Abstract The catalogue presents the data on all specimens of terns (Sterninae) that have been inventoried into the ornithological collection of the Slovenian Museum of Natural History (PMS). The catalogue includes data on preserved as well as lost specimens. The data have been collected from all inventory books at hand in the Slovenian Museum of Natural History. By the end of 2019, 66 different specimens of eight tern species have been recorded in the ornithological collection, of which 56 specimens are still preserved. Most specimens were collected in the 1940–1970 period. The largest number of specimens concerns the Black Tern Chlidonias niger and Common Tern Sterna hirundo. Among the collected terns, the specimens found in Slovenia predominate. Five specimens originate from other countries, specifically Eritrea, Oman, Serbia and Croatia.

Avifaunal surveys along the lower Huallaga River, Region of Loreto, Peru: New distributional records, collection of topotypes, and taxonomic implications

The lower Huallaga River in Peru was the focal region of 2 important ornithological collections in the mid-19th century and a third in the early 20th century. Many new taxa were described from these collections, yet the lower Huallaga region has since been largely unexplored by ornithologists. There is a need for modern sampling, including collection of genetic and vocal data, near type localities in order to anchor taxonomic units and better inform conservation decisions. We undertook 2 ornithological expeditions to the lower Huallaga region (Jeberos on the left bank of the Huallaga River in 2001 and Santa Cruz on the right bank in 2016) that collected topotypes or near-topotypes for 18 taxa previously described from the area. We report large range extensions for several species and discuss notable records, taxonomic implications, and biogeographic patterns.

Latest Documented Fall Record of Oporornis agilis (Connecticut Warbler) in North America

On 11 November 2017, a male hatch-year Oporornis agilis (Connecticut Warbler) was killed by a Felis catus (Domestic Cat) in Scarborough, Cumberland County, ME. This specimen, housed in the University of New England ornithological collection, is the latest documented fall record of this species in North America.

Extinct and endangered (‘E&amp;E’) birds in the ornithological collection of the Museum of Zoology of Torino University, Italy

The historical ornithological collection of the Museum of Zoology of Torino University, now hosted at the Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino, Italy (MRSN), includes more than 21,000 bird specimens and 500 complete skeletons representing c.6,000 taxa. The IUCN Red List of threatened species lists 256 bird species as either extinct or endangered (‘E&E’) from throughout the world. To provide a list of those species that should receive special care, a well-established methodology was applied to produce a list of 12 extinct and 36 endangered species held in the MRSN collection. Some of them, particularly those from New Zealand, although it is unclear where they were acquired, are remarkable for being amongst the first bird specimens to have arrived in European museums.

The collections of Alexandr Sergeyevich Lisetskiy in the ornithological collection of the Museum of Nature of V.N.Karazin Kharkiv National University

A significant part of the ornithological collection of the Museum of Nature of V.N.Karazin Kharkiv National University is made up of the collections of Alexandr Sergeyevich Lisetskiy: 1292 specimens (of which 1276 skins and 16 stuffed animals), which is almost 7% of the total number of the museum’s ornithological collection (almost 19 thousand items). By species composition Lisetskiy's collections are represented by 215 species of birds (of which 85 species of non-passerine birds and 130 species of passerine birds). By geographical diversity, the collections of Alexandr Sergeyevich are representing Ukraine (Zaporozhe, Lugansk, Kharkov, Kherson regions and collections from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea), Russia (Volgograd, Murmansk, Sakhalin regions; Kamchatka, Krasnodar Territory, Republic of Dagestan), Turkmenistan (Akhal velayat), Georgia (Tbilisi, Imereti, Autonomous Republic of Adjara) and Armenia. The collections of Alexander Sergeevich Lisetskii significantly enriched the museum’s ornithological collection, replenished it with specimens of rare species represented in the collection as single specimens: the yellow browed warbler Phylloscopus inornatus (Blyth, 1842), a new species in Crimea’s fauna and the only confirmed registration of this species in the area; the Pechora pipit, Anthus gustavi Swinhoe, 1863; the russet sparrow Passer rutilans (Temminck, 1835), the only specimen in the museum’s collection, the narcissus flycatcher Ficedula narcissina (Temminck, 1835) of which only 2 specimen are in the collection and one of them was collected by Alexandr Sergeyevich; as well as the olive-backed pipit Anthus hodgsoni (Richmond, 1907), the Radde's warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi (Radde, 1863), the eastern rock-nuthatch Sitta tephronota Sharpe, 1872, the grey-necked bunting Emberiza buchanani Blyth, 1844 and others. The collections of Alexandr Sergeyevich presented by skins are stored in the scientific collection of the museum in the stock room in special boxes. Stuffed specimens are on display and are in cabinets or display cases. Each specimen has an inventory number, a detailed label indicating the sex, place and date of extraction, who determines the species, who made the skins or stuffed specimens. Each specimen is listed in the catalog and database of the museum’s ornithological collection.

A morphological database for 606 Colombian bird species

Colombia is the country with the highest bird diversity in the world. Despite active research in ornithology, compelling morphological information of most bird species is still sparse. However, morphological information is the baseline to understand how species respond to environmental variation and how ecosystems respond to species loss. As part of a national initiative, the Instituto Alexander von Humboldt in collaboration with 12 Colombian institutions and seven biological collections, measured up to 15 morphological traits of 9,892 individuals corresponding to 606 species: 3,492 from individuals captured in field and 6,400 from museum specimens. Species measured are mainly distributed in high Andean forest, páramo, and wetland ecosystems. Seven ornithological collections in Colombia and 18 páramo complexes throughout Colombia were visited from 2013 to 2015. The morphological traits involved measurements from bill (total and exposed culmen, bill width and depth), wing (length, area, wingspan, and the distance between longest primary and longest secondary), tail (length and shape), tarsus (length), hallux (length and claw hallux), and mass. The number of measured specimens per species was variable, ranging from 1 to 321 individuals with a median of four individuals per species. Overall, this database gathered morphological information for >30% of Colombian bird diversity. No copyright, proprietary, or cost restrictions apply; the data should be cited appropriately when used.

Preserving and Optimising a World-Class African Ornithological Collection

The Durban Natural Science Museum houses a world-class collection of African bird study skins and other ornithological specimens including eggs, nests, skeletons, open wings and ethanol specimens. This presentation briefly outlines the value of these holdings. The bird study skins comprise the core of the collection and number nearly 40 000. This ranks the collection as one of the top three or four on the continent. These study skins are globally renowned for the quality of their preparation, far exceeding that of other African museums. The study skin collection houses an unparalleled assemblage of holotypes and paratypes of (mainly) southern African subspecies. A recent landmark book on geographical variation in southern African birds was largely based on examination of this collection. The collection also boasts the largest collection of study skins in existence from Mozambique. The collection includes one of the most significant Dodo Raphus cucullatus skeletons in the world, which has been subject to intense investigation in recent years, as well as a complete egg of a Madagascar Elephant bird (Aepyornithidae). Also discussed are ongoing best-practice measures to both preserve this collection and render it of optimal value to users, including a brief summary of the key outside stakeholders exploiting the collection for research and other purposes. An issue of particular note is the increasing demand for tissue samples (typically 'toe-pads') from the study skins for molecular investigations - raising problematic challenges relevant to destructive sampling. Particular attention is paid to describing a recent migration of the digital database to a global standard in the form of the ‘Specify’ collection database and management tool.