Ornithological collections may contain various types of preserved specimens, and study skins are considered one of the most important methods of preservation of bird scientific specimens.

Since at least the 16th century, European naturalists employed rudimentary bird preservation techniques for curiosity cabinets and early natural history collections. Mummification, drying ovens, and salt solutions were common practices for specimen preservation, as were treatments with arsenic-laced mixtures to prevent decay (Bakker and Clark, 2003). Influential manuals by early naturalists such as Pierre Belon (1555), Giovanni Pietro Olina (1622), and Johannes Aitinger (1666) documented pioneering methods of skinning and mounting birds on artificial bodies—practices that laid the groundwork for scientific ornithological study (Schulze-Hagen et al. 2003, Schmutzer 2012). Instead of being only artistic novelties, these preparations provided essential anatomical models for emerging ornithologists, who used specimens to support taxonomic and descriptive work.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, taxidermy evolved into a standardized scientific discipline. Jean Baptiste Bécoeur’s introduction of arsenical soap, which was a mixture of arsenic, camphor, soap, and lime, revolutionized specimen longevity, enabling durable bird skins suitable for systematic study (Rookmaaker et al. 2006). The Victorian era, particularly following the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, saw a surge in lifelike mounts. English taxidermist John Hancock pioneered dramatic, anatomically precise bird displays. His work heralded an era where scientific accuracy and visual impact coalesced (Barrow 2009).

Modern museum practices, informed by decades of refinement, balance scientific preservation with educational display as contemporary techniques closely mirror the methods developed over a century ago (Winker 2000). In parallel to the development of mounted skins, study skins grew in popularity as external morphological features became the gold standard for studies on avian systematics and taxonomy.

Bird study skins are now an essential resource in ornithological research. These specimens preserve the bird's skin and feathers in a space-efficient manner with scientific utility in mind. Old study skins can also provide valuable genetic material, usually extract from toepads, for molecular investigations into evolutionary biology, systematics, and conservation genetics (Webster 2017).

Researchers can access historical data on avian biodiversity and track changes in species distributions and traits over time by comparing older study skins with contemporary specimens (DuBay and Fuldner 2017). This longitudinal perspective is crucial for assessing the impacts of environmental changes and guiding conservation efforts (Winker, 2000; Suarez & Tsutsui, 2004). The enduring relevance of bird study skins underscores their indispensability in both traditional and modern ornithological research.

References

Barrow, M. V. (2009). Nature’s Ghosts: Confronting Extinction from the Age of Jefferson to the Age of Ecology. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.

DuBay, S. G., and C. C. Fuldner (2017). Bird specimens track 135 years of atmospheric black carbon and environmental policy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114:11321–11326.

Poliquin, R. (2012). The Breathless Zoo: Taxidermy and the Cultures of Longing. Penn State University Press.

Rookmaaker, L. C., P. A. Morris, I. E. Glenn, and P. J. Mundy (2006). The ornithological cabinet of Jean-Baptiste Bécoeur and the secret of the arsenical soap. Archives of Natural History 33:146–158.

Schmutzer, K. (2012). Metamorphosis between field and museum: collections in the making. Journal of History of Science and Technology 5:68–83.

Schulze-Hagen, K., F. Steinheimer, R. Kinzelbach, and C. Gasser (2003). Avian taxidermy in Europe from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Journal of Ornithology 144:459–478.

Suarez, A. V., and N. D. Tsutsui (2004). The Value of Museum Collections for Research and Society. BioScience 54:66–74.

Webster, M. S. (2017). The Extended Specimen: Emerging Frontiers in Collections-Based Ornithological Research. CRC Press, Boca Raton.

Winker, K. (2000). OBTAINING, PRESERVING, AND PREPARING BIRD SPECIMENS. Journal of Field Ornithology 71:250–297.