Collection Of Birds Research Articles

The sandwich structure of keratinous layers controls the form and growth orientation of chicken rhinotheca.

The upper beak bone of birds is known to be overlain by the rhinotheca, which is composed of the horny sheath of keratinous layers. However, the details of the structure and growth pattern of the rhinotheca are yet to be understood. In this study, the microstructure of the rhinotheca from chicken specimens of different growth stages (ranging from 1 to ~80days old) was analyzed using a combination of thin section and scanning electron microscopy observations, and small-angle X-ray scattering analysis. We found that the rhinotheca comprises three different layers - outer, intermediate, and inner layers - throughout its growth. The outer layer arises from the proximal portion of the beak bone and covers the dorsal surface of the rhinotheca, whereas the intermediate and inner layers originate in the distal portion of the beak bone and underlie the outer layer. This tri-layered structure of the rhinotheca was also observed in wild bird specimens (grey wagtail, king quail, and brown dipper). On the median plane, micro-layers making up the outer and inner layers are bedded nearly parallel to the rostral bone at the base. However, more distally positioned micro-layers of the outer layer are more anteverted distally. The micro-layers of the intermediate layer are bedded nearly perpendicular to those of the outer and inner layers on the median plane. The growth of micro-layers in the intermediate layer adds thickness to the rhinotheca, which causes the difference in profile between the beak bone and the rhinotheca in the distal portion of the beak. Moreover, the entire intermediate layer grows distally as new proximal micro-layers form. The outer layer is dragged distally by the intermediate layer as a result of its distal growth, for the three layers are closely packed to each other at their boundaries. Furthermore, the occurrence of the intermediate and inner layers in the distal portion of the rostral bone may be because the distal end of the beak is frequently used and worn, and the rhinotheca therefore needs to be replaced more frequently at the distal end. The rhinotheca structure described here will be an important and useful factor in the reconstruction of the beaks of birds in extinct taxa.

Fully fledged enantiornithine hatchling revealed by Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence supports precocial nesting behavior

Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence (LSF) is used to identify fully fledged feathering in the hatchling enantiornithine bird specimen MPCM-LH-26189, supporting precocial nesting behavior in this extinct group. The LSF results include the detection of a long pennaceous wing feather as well as cover feathers around the body. The LSF technique showed improved detection limits over and above synchrotron and UV imaging which had both been performed on this specimen. The findings underscore the value of using a wide range of analytical techniques.

Extinct and endangered (‘E&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.

Study on elements concentrations on seabird feathers by instrumental neutron activation analysis.

Seabirds are very sensitive to environmental changes and due to their large longevity they are also sensitive to cumulative impacts. These birds usually occupy the higher trophic levels. White-chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) and black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) are Procellariiformes, which is a seabird order, composed of 4 families. In the last years, researches are being done and actions are being taken to reduce the mortality of albatrosses and petrels caused by human activities. Due to the great ecological importance of these birds and the developed work with Procellariiformes, this study purpose was to quantify the Br, Cl, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na and V elements in white-chinned petrel and black-browed albatross feathers. Bird specimens were killed accidentally by pelagic longline fisheries operating off southern Brazil. Feathers were cleaned with acetone and then milled in a cryogenic mill. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was used for quantification of the element concentrations and measurements of induced activities were performed in a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector for gamma ray spectrometry. The obtained results on feathers showed that concentrations in these birds are not higher than others studies with the same species and, with exception of Br, there are no significant differences between elements mean concentrations in the two seabirds.

The avian collection of the former Saint Augustine College of the Regional Natural History Museum in Plovdiv

The paper presents a catalogue of bird specimens (dry mounted preserves) survived after the closing (1948) of the former Catholic College “Saint Augustine”. Currently, the studied specimens are kept at the Regional Natural History Museum in Plovdiv. The collection includes a total of 193 species of birds of 81 families and 28 orders, represented by 205 specimens (circa two percent of the recent World avifauna). Over 15 percent of the species have an IUCN conservation status (NT to CR). The most valuable are the following specimens: critically endangered grey-backed myna (Acridotheres tricolor) and two endangered species - echo parakeet (Psittacula eques) and sooty albatross (Phoebetria fusca). This is the 2nd largest collection of exotic birds in Bulgaria.

Alexander Sergeyevich Lisetskiy – to the 100th anniversary of the birth

Biographical information and brief information on the scientific activities of Alexander Sergeyevich Lisetskiy (1919–1991), one of the leading zoologists at Kharkov University, are provided. The study of student A.S.Lisetskiy at the Faculty of Biology of Kharkov University was interrupted by the years of the World War II, which he passed in tank division. Only in 1948 he graduated from the Department of Vertebrate Zoology and then worked here until the end of his life. Alexander Sergeevich Lisetskiy was the author of scientific works on ornithology, theriology and nature conservation; created an outstanding collection of Lepidoptera; he is the author of significant scientific collections of birds and mammals, which are preserved in the University’s Museum of Nature. The entire scientific legacy of the scientist is considered together with the details of his scientific biography, the history of research, inseparable from the history of the Department of Vertebrate Zoology. Over 45 years of work at Kharkov University, A.S.Lisetskiy took part in all the expeditions of the department under the direction of I.B.Volchanetsky in the framework of the research topics of the department. In 1948–50 he took part in the study of the fauna of Lake Elton. In 1950–52, at the experimental reclamation station of the Institute of Hydrotechnics and Land Reclamation of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, he participated in the study of the effect of irrigation and field-protective breeding on the fauna. Together with the expedition, under the guidance of Professor I.B.Volchanetsky, he studied birds of deciduous forests of northeastern Ukraine – as a source of enrichment of the created protective forest belts with useful fauna. In 1965 he defended his thesis on mammals of artificial irrigation fields (supervised by professor I.B.Volchanetsky). In 1960–80 A.S.Lisetskiy did a lot to study the fauna of the Kharkov region – for the first time published a fundamental summary of the avifauna of the Izyum forests; studied the avifauna of Kharkov, participated in the creation of the first project of the national park "Gomolshansky." Alexander Sergeyevich did a lot as a popularizer of science – he lectured at the People's University "Nature", published interesting popular articles in periodicals. A.S.Lisetskiy left a noticeable mark on the scientific fate of many students of the Department of Zoology of Kharkov University, transferring the skills of a real field researcher – conscientious, hardworking, infinitely in love with his job.

A black Page in the French partridge's history: the melanistic variety of Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa

Summary. The melanistic variety of Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa was described from a small population in western France around the 1850s. In this region, the Red-legged Partridge population as a whole was hunted, but melanistic individuals were targeted for both private and museum bird collections, and by 1865 the variety was extinct in western France. An extensive search for extant specimens documented 13 melanistic birds in six museums, and their details are presented here. Remarkably, some of these specimens were collected in areas elsewhere in France or even in other countries. After 1915, the allele for melanism appears to have been lost within the Red-legged Partridge population as a whole, and we discuss possible reasons for this. ‘…, nous sommes persuade que cette perdrix qui tend a demeurer en Anjou [now Maine-et-Loire] se multipliera dans quelques annees, au grand contentement des amateurs de la chasse et de l'ornithologie.’ […, we are persuaded that this partridge which tends to remain i...

History of Bird Studies in the Volgograd Region

Bird studies have been conducted in the area of Volgograd oblast since the second half of the eighteenth century. The first studies were conducted by the heads of large academic expeditions: S.G. Gmelin (1771, 1777), I.I. Lepekhin (1771, 1795), and P.S. Pallas (1788). Therefore, this period of studies can be called the “academic period.” In the middle of the nineteenth century, professors, masters, and undergraduate and graduate students of large Russian universities (Eversmann, Artzibascheff, Bogdanov, Yakovlev, Khlebnikov, and Bostanzhoglo) started to study the bird fauna of the Volga region, and this second period of studies can be called the “university period.” In addition, a great amount of data on the birds of the Lower Volga region had also been published by German taxidermists (together with zoologists) who were gathering bird collections for sale to European museums (Moeschler, Badeker, Rikbeyl, Henсke, Pelzam, Loretz, et al.). In the first half of the twentieth century, the majority of studies on bird fauna in the Lower Volga region were scientific and practical and were aimed at the organization of their use and protection. In addition to planned studies performed by specialists, important data on bird fauna were collected by amateur ornithologists who came to the Lower Volga region accidently (Kracht, Vietinghoff, Torne, and Bub). In the second half of the twentieth century, active ecological and geographical research was initiated by the staff of the Volgograd Pedagogical Institute, who studied the parasites of birds of prey and corvids, the urban bird population, and the birds of fish ponds. At the end of the twentieth century, a number of studies were conducted in the Lower Volga region within the Important Bird Areas of Russia program supported by foreign grants. These works were followed by a large series of publications; unfortunately, these publications contained little significant ecological and faunistic information.

Illustrated and online catalog of the type specimens of birds (Class: Aves) in the Ornithological Collection at the Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH-A), Colombia.

The catalog of type specimens of birds deposited in the Bird Collection of Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH-A) is presented. The list includes 10 specimens representing two holotypes and eight paratypes of three nominal species and five nominal subspecies. Three specimens also have tissues deposited in the Tissue Collection of the Instituto Humboldt (IAvH-CT). Corrections, additions, and updated information of the original descriptions and geographic locations are included as individual remarks for each catalog number and a gallery of photographs of each specimen is provided. An online version of the catalog is available at: http://colecciones.humboldt.org.co/catalogos/tiposaves.

Museum specimens of terrestrial vertebrates are sensitive indicators of environmental change in the Anthropocene.

Natural history museums and the specimen collections they curate are vital scientific infrastructure, a fact as true today as it was when biologists began collecting and preserving specimens over 200 years ago. The importance of museum specimens in studies of taxonomy, systematics, ecology and evolutionary biology is evidenced by a rich and abundant literature, yet creative and novel uses of specimens are constantly broadening the impact of natural history collections on biodiversity science and global sustainability. Excellent examples of the critical importance of specimens come from their use in documenting the consequences of environmental change, which is particularly relevant considering the alarming rate at which we now modify our planet in the Anthropocene. In this review, we highlight the important role of bird, mammal and amphibian specimens in documenting the Anthropocene and provide examples that underscore the need for continued collection of museum specimens.This article is part of the theme issue 'Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene'.

Alwyn Hasso von Wedel (1873–1957): bird and plant collector on the Caribbean coast of Panama

Hasso von Wedel, usually “H. Wedel” on specimen labels, settled on the northwestern Caribbean coast of Panama in the province of Bocas del Toro in 1898 and sustained himself mainly through the production of picture postcards and as a photographer for the United Fruit Company. He learned to prepare bird specimens in 1926 and collected widely in Bocas del Toro for various museums, mainly Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology, at least up until 1939. Wedel made the first collections of birds from the easternmost Caribbean coast of Panama in the Comarca de San Blas at intervals from 1929 until 1934. He learned the fundamentals of botanical collecting in 1938 and made extensive collections of plants for the Missouri Botanical Garden from then until 1941, his specimens forming the basis for dozens of presumed new species, at least ten of which were named for him. His biological explorations appear to have ceased about the time the United States entered the Second World War, although he lived in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, until his death at Almirante in 1957.

William Smyth (1838–1913), a commercial taxidermist of Dunedin, New Zealand

William Smyth, unable to get work in a New Zealand museum, ran a commercial taxidermy business at Caversham, Dunedin, from about 1873 to 1911 or 1912. His two decades of correspondence with Thomas Frederic Cheeseman at the Auckland Museum provide a case study of Smyth's professional interaction with one of New Zealand's main museums. We have used this and other sources to paint a picture of Smyth's activities and achievements during a time when there was great interest in New Zealand birds but few local taxidermists to preserve their bodies. Besides the Auckland Museum, Smyth supplied specimens to various people with museum connections, including Georg Thilenius (Germany) and Walter Lawry Buller (New Zealand). Smyth was probably self-taught, and his standards of preparation and labelling were variable, but he left a legacy for the historical documentation of New Zealand ornithology by the large number of his bird specimens that now reside in public museum collections in New Zealand and elsewhere.

ЕПІЗООТОЛОГІЧНИЙ МОНІТОРИНГ ХВОРОБИ НЬЮКАСЛА В ДНІПРОПЕТРОВСЬКІЙ ОБЛАСТІ

Purpose. Monitoring of Newcastle disease among different groups of birds in Dnipropetrovsk region. Method. The biological material of the investigated bird specimens was checked for antibodies to Newcastle disease virus using methods such as haemagglutination and immunoassay. Results. An intravenous index of pathogenicity of an isolated Newcastle disease virus has been established. Newcastle disease virus circulation in the population of farm birds in the study period is absent, wild andsinanthropic birds should be classified as a risk group and considered as a reservoir for the Newcastle disease virus. Scientific novelty. The results obtained and their novelty: the extent of the Newcastle disease virus spread among various species of birds in Dnipropetrovsk region for 2015 is analyzed. Practical meaningfulness. The results obtained are a scientific basis for developing measures to combat, prevent, and prevent the emergence of Newcastle disease among farmed birds.

A critical evaluation of the exotic bird collection of the Šariš Museum in Bardejov, Slovakia.

A collection of exotic birds deposited in the Šariš Museum in Bardejov (SMB), Slovakia, has not been evaluated critically since their deposition. We assessed the accuracy of identification of 465 bird specimens deposited in SMB with native distributions outside of Slovakia. Specimens belonged to 322 species of 82 families and 26 orders. Of the specimen represented, 34 belonged to species considered as ‘near-threatened’ (7.3%), 16 as ‘vulnerable’ (3.4%) and one as ‘endangered’ (0.2%). The SMB collection holds 10 of 28 extant Cuban endemic species and another 11 species endemic to the Caribbean archipelago. Even among birds that are relatively easy to identify, many specimens were identified incorrectly or species identification was missing. Of 465 specimens evaluated, 95 (20.4%) were identified incorrectly or were missing species identification, and another 79 (17%) were identified correctly, but their names have changed over time due to taxonomic shift, thus they required correction.

Detection of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in bone marrow of healthy young wild birds collected in 1997–2000 in Central Italy

Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) is a flavivirus responsible for an important zoonotic, vector-borne disease included in the OIE list. JEV is endemic in a large area of Asia. In Italy, JEV has been found in dead birds collected in 1997-2000 and in a pool of Culex pipiens mosquitoes collected in 2010. Viral ecology in the inter-epidemic periods is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate JEV in FFPE archival samples of healthy birds collected in 1997-2000 in Tuscany (Italy) in the same area and a few months after collection of birds resulted infected by JEV. Different samples from 37 young birds and 83 adults were available. Immunohistochemistry detected JEV antigen only in bone marrow samples from 12 young healthy birds. Positive cells were morphologically referable to monocyte-macrophages lineage and were positive for anti-CD11b in serial sections. Real-time PCR detected JEV RNA in four of these samples. These results suggest that healthy birds can harbour JEV in bone marrow cells, while no other organs resulted infected. The role of healthy birds in JEV ecology should be better investigated. Surveillance programmes should include sampling of the most appropriate target organs.

Contribution of Russian zoologists to the collecting and first descriptions of the World avian fauna

A brief overview is given of the formation of museum collections of birds in Russia, collected as a result of academic expeditions around the world and across Russia. The imperishable value of zoological collections, concentrated in zoological museums and institutes, is underlined. The results of expeditions are described in chronology, beginning with 18th century (they were conducted under the auspices of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Imperial Russian Geographical Society): the First Siberian expedition (D.G. Messershmidt), the First Kamchatka and the Great Northern expeditions (V.I. Bering, А.I. Chirikov, G.F. Müller, G.V. Stöller, I.G. Gmelin, S.P. Krasheninnikov), Great academic expeditions across Russia (P.S. Pallas, S.G. Gmelin, I.A. Güldenstädt, I.I. Lepyokhin, I.P. Falk, I.G. Georgi), round-the-world sea expeditions (I.F. Kruzenshtern and Yu.F. Lisyansky, F.F. Bellingshausen and M.P. Lazarev, F.G. Kittlitz and A.K. Mertens), as well as expeditions to Brazil (G. I. Langsdorf and E.P. Menetries) and expedition of I.G. Voznesensky in Russian America, the Commanders and Kamchatka. Reference is made to the importance of zoological expeditions of K.F. von Baer, A.F. Middendorf, G.I. Radde, N.A. Severtsov, M.N. Bogdanov, G.E. and M.E. Grumm-Grzhimailo. Particular attention is paid to the great Asian campaigns to Central Asia in the late XIX – early XX century of NM. Przevalsky, V.I. Roborovsky, P.K. Kozlov, G.N. Potanin, M.V. Pevtsov, B.L. Grombchevsky, M.A. Pyltsov and N.A. Zarudny. The contribution of the ornithologists of Russia M.N.Bogdanov, M.M. Berezovsky, M.A. Menzbir, V.L. Bianchi, F.D. Pleske, V.I. Dybowski, V.A. Godlewski, M.I. Jankowski, V.K. Taczanowski, P.P. Sushkin and S.A. Buturlin to the bird systematics at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of XX century is described. In conclusion, it is said about the unique value of zoological collections for the study of taxonomy and phylogeny, including on the basis of molecular genetic studies.

The ambiguous identity of Turdus mustelinus Wilson, and a neotype designation for the Veery Catharus fuscescens (Stephens)

The long-recognised name of the Veery Catharus fuscescens (Stephens 1817) was intended to replace Tawny Thrush Turdus mustelinusWilson, 1812, which was preoccupied by T. mustelinus J. F. Gmelin, 1789. Herein, I demonstrate that T. mustelinus Wilson is unidentifiable because it was based on attributes shared by more than one species, including some features that are a better match to other Catharus species than to Veery. None of the specimens mentioned in Wilson's description is extant. To maintain traditional nomenclature and to prevent destabilising confusion arising from alternative identifications, I designate a neotype for Turdus mustelinus Wilson and its replacement names, including T. fuscescens Stephens, fixing the name to the taxon to which it has been traditionally applied. The neotype is a colour-banded male that was tracked over two consecutive years with light-level geolocator and GPS tracking units. To my knowledge, it is the first bird specimen in any collection for which migratory data were collected with either device.

Host-Parasite relationships and co-infection of nasal mites of Chrysomus ruficapillus (Passeriformes: Icteridae) in southern Brazil

ABSTRACT One hundred twenty-two Chrysomus ruficapillus were examined in southern Brazil, in order to research the presence of nasal mites and the parasite-host relationships. Nasal mite infections were analyzed for: presence of Ereynetidae and Rhinonyssidae considering the total number of hosts examined; Sexual maturity of males (juveniles and adults); Periods of bird collection and presence of co-infections. Were identified five taxa, four belongs to Rhinonyssidae (Sternostoma strandtmanni, Ptilonyssus sairae, P. icteridius and Ptilonyssus sp.) and one to Ereynetidae (Boydaia agelaii). Adult males were parasitized for one taxa more than juvenile males. Co-infections occurred in 22 hosts, between two, three and four taxa, belonging to Ereynetidae and Rhinonyssidae.The co-infections were more prevalent in austral autumn / winter. The host-parasite relations and co-infections by nasal mites in C. ruficapillus were reported for the first time, contributing to the knowledge about nasal mites in Brazil.

Improving Security for Natural Science Collections at the Michigan State University Museum

Established in 1857, the Michigan State University (MSU) Museum houses natural science collections that include 117,000 research and teaching specimens of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and vertebrate fossils. These collections are worldwide in scope and provide a record of biodiversity that ranges from 1844 to the present day. The collections contain specimens of rare, endangered, threatened, and extinct species. Within each vertebrate discipline, specimens are cataloged into designated research or teaching collections; these are housed within multiple research and preservation spaces, occupying 678 square meters. Currently, 394 natural science specimens are on exhibit in the Museum's gallery spaces, which include an additional 1,830 square meters. Over the past three decades, the Museum has experienced a number of thefts from both collections and exhibit areas, with the most recent specimen theft occurring in 2011: a silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) stolen from the Museum's rainforest habitat diorama. That theft, along with the history of the others, initiated a series of improvements to the Museum's security. These included changes in personnel access to the Museum building and to collections areas; replacement and installation of new technological equipment, including key-card access and camera systems Museum-wide; and revisions of associated policies and procedures. These effectively closed "loopholes" that formerly compromised security best practice. Targeted improvements have been made at the building, gallery, elevator, room, and cabinet levels, and included specialized accommodation for specimens that are particularly sensitive, such as rhino horn (in keeping with Natural Sciences Collections Association guidance). In addition, the Museum modified operating procedures for behind-the-scenes tours of the research and collections spaces (for example, staff-to-visitor ratio and policy for use of imaging and recording equipment).

Repatriation of Augmented Information to an Institutional Database

On the 9th of April 2010 the Field Museum received a momentous email from the ORNIS (ORnithology Network Information System) team informing them that they could now access the products of a nationwide georeferencing project; its bird collection could be, quite literally, put on the map. On the 7th of August 2017 those data (along with the sister datasets from FISHNet (FISH NETwork) and MaNIS (Mammal Network Information System) finally made their way into the Museum’s collection management system. It's easy to get data out, why is it so hard to get it back? To make it easier, what do we need to do in terms of coordination, staffing, and/or technological resources? How can tools like data quality flags better accommodate the needs of data-providers as well as data-users elsewhere along the collections data pipeline? We present a real life case studyof repatriating an enhanced dataset to its institute of origin, including details on timelines, estimates of effort, and lessons learned. The best laid repatriation protocols might not prepare us for everything, but following them more closely might save us some sanity.