Bird Collections



Ornithology, or the study of bird species, is said to be one of the earliest branches of zoology. In early times, this type of study is enhanced with the collection of bird eggs. In earlier history, bird egg collection became a hobby for people, making the labels unreliable for the purposes of ornithology. This method became standard with the invention of the blow drill in 1983, which made the study a more reliable one.

Bird collections, as a method in ornithology, suggest that names of birds should be arranged in archives by avian diversity in order to address the different needs of artists, educators, and researchers. This collection may not only include live species but also bird skeletons, feathers, soft tissues, or combination thereof. In order for such collection to be useful, especially if it is dealing with the avian body parts, such items should be properly labelled for proper identification necessary for ornithology. Bird collection, as a method in ornithology, has its long history. This is evidenced by the reality that bird specimens in earlier times were collected through the use of firearms.

Today, collecting birds for the purpose of ornithology are done through a variety of techniques which include the use of domestic cats caught from the fisheries, and other sources of mortality. However, the use of bird collection for the purpose of ornithology is often the source of disputes. This is because of the inadequacy of avian diversity in some tropical regions necessary for such purpose.

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