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 facilitat...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Carrillo-Ortiz, José, Guallar, Santi, Martínez-Vargas, Jessica, Quesada, Javier
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Ajuntament de Barcelona
Repositorio:BCNROC. Repositori Obert de Coneixement de l'Ajuntament de Barcelona
OAI Identifier:oai:bcnroc.ajuntament.barcelona.cat:11703/127839
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/2072/445584
https://doi.org/10.1177/1758155920987151
http://hdl.handle.net/11703/127839
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona
Col·leccions de ciències naturals
Conservació d'espècimens zoològics
Taxidèrmia
Ocells
Biometria
Ciència i tecnologia
articles
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oai_identifier_str oai:bcnroc.ajuntament.barcelona.cat:11703/127839
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repository_id_str
spelling A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collectionsCarrillo-Ortiz, JoséGuallar, SantiMartínez-Vargas, JessicaQuesada, JavierMuseu de Ciències Naturals de BarcelonaCol·leccions de ciències naturalsConservació d'espècimens zoològicsTaxidèrmiaOcellsBiometriaCiència i tecnologiaarticlesThe 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.SAGE publicationsConsorci del Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona202520252021info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://hdl.handle.net/2072/445584https://doi.org/10.1177/1758155920987151http://hdl.handle.net/11703/127839reponame:BCNROC. Repositori Obert de Coneixement de l'Ajuntament de Barcelonainstname:Ajuntament de BarcelonaInglés© The Author(s) 2021. Original article published by SAGE at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1758155920987151info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:bcnroc.ajuntament.barcelona.cat:11703/1278392026-05-27T12:53:21Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections
title A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections
spellingShingle A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections
Carrillo-Ortiz, José
Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona
Col·leccions de ciències naturals
Conservació d'espècimens zoològics
Taxidèrmia
Ocells
Biometria
Ciència i tecnologia
articles
title_short A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections
title_full A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections
title_fullStr A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections
title_full_unstemmed A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections
title_sort A revision of bird skin preparation aimed at improving the scientific value of ornithological collections
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Carrillo-Ortiz, José
Guallar, Santi
Martínez-Vargas, Jessica
Quesada, Javier
author Carrillo-Ortiz, José
author_facet Carrillo-Ortiz, José
Guallar, Santi
Martínez-Vargas, Jessica
Quesada, Javier
author_role author
author2 Guallar, Santi
Martínez-Vargas, Jessica
Quesada, Javier
author2_role author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Consorci del Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona
Col·leccions de ciències naturals
Conservació d'espècimens zoològics
Taxidèrmia
Ocells
Biometria
Ciència i tecnologia
articles
topic Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona
Col·leccions de ciències naturals
Conservació d'espècimens zoològics
Taxidèrmia
Ocells
Biometria
Ciència i tecnologia
articles
description 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.
publishDate 2021
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2021
2025
2025
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/2072/445584
https://doi.org/10.1177/1758155920987151
http://hdl.handle.net/11703/127839
url http://hdl.handle.net/2072/445584
https://doi.org/10.1177/1758155920987151
http://hdl.handle.net/11703/127839
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv SAGE publications
publisher.none.fl_str_mv SAGE publications
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:BCNROC. Repositori Obert de Coneixement de l'Ajuntament de Barcelona
instname:Ajuntament de Barcelona
instname_str Ajuntament de Barcelona
reponame_str BCNROC. Repositori Obert de Coneixement de l'Ajuntament de Barcelona
collection BCNROC. Repositori Obert de Coneixement de l'Ajuntament de Barcelona
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15.812429

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