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Mission
The Burke Museum's Ornithology Division contributes to the world's knowledge of birds by building and maintaining exceptionally well-curated collections of bird specimens for use in teaching, research, and art. We are committed to providing hands-on training for students in the natural sciences through specialized classes, collection-based research opportunities, and participation in local and international expeditions. We provide access to information from our bird collections to the wider community via on-site visits, bird specimen loans, exhibits, educational outreach, and a Web-searchable database.
FEATURED IN ORNITHOLOGY
Molt and migration of western birds
Many small passerines (perching birds) that breed in North America migrate to the Neotropics for the winter. While most eastern breeders molt (replace their worn feathers with new ones) before heading south, many western birds do not. Presumably because western habitats tend to become so hot, dry, and inhospitable during the late summer, these birds head to areas where food is more abundant before growing their metabolically expensive new feathers. Burke researchers have found that Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexicoareas inundated by the Mexican Monsoon in late summerprovide an important place for certain bird species to stop and molt before proceeding to their wintering areas further south. Burke Ornithology staff and students are conducting a series of late-summer expeditions to assess which bird species are taking advantage of these wetter, food-rich areas, and whether any of the habitats they use while molting are sufficiently degraded by recent human activity to raise conservation concerns. (Photo by Rob Faucett.) |
Wing detail of Great Argus Pheasant (Argusianus argus) from Burke Museum spread wing collection, 72506. Photo by Sharon Birks |
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