Birds Collection Search

The Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, houses and maintains the third largest bird collection in the world with over 625,000 specimens. Our National Collection has representatives of about 80% of the approximately 9600 known species in the world's avifauna. The collection is comprised of specimens primarily prepared as study skins, skeletons, fluid preserved, eggs, nests, and mounted skins. We also hold nearly 4000 primary type specimens. Our tissue sample holdings are not searchable in this first phase of public web access to the Birds database.

Search the Bird Collections

Key word searches on any available field can be run from the Quick Search box below. More defined searches can be run against specific fields from the Detailed Search link below. Don't know what to search for? Try one of the three sample searches in the Quick Browse panel at right.

Please note that approximately 65% of our holdings are completely or partially listed in our specimen database at present. There are currently only a small number of specimens with images associated with them. We are constantly adding records and images to the Birds database. If you spot an error in our data please let us know.

Enter search term(s)...

Find: anywhere name in locations in people number

Detailed Search