🐦8.2 Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Chatting with the Dead Room Folks Again (Tips on Specimen Preparation)
The team taught me several fascinating techniques related to specimen preparation and research:
Determining the Age of Owls: They explained that the coloration of feathers can be used to estimate an owl’s age—owls with more pink in their feathers tend to be younger.
Storing Specimens: Specimens are stored carefully to preserve them for research. This involves placing them in specialized storage cabinets with controlled conditions to prevent damage or decay. Each specimen is prepared and labeled meticulously, ensuring accurate cataloging.
Collecting Specimens: Specimens are acquired through various methods. Museums often trade specimens with one another, and field expeditions may also collect roadkill to minimize harm to live populations. For instance, they mentioned an exchange program with the Singapore National Museum, facilitating cross-regional collaboration.
Handling Eyes in Specimens: Cotton is used to fill the eye sockets during the preparation process. For display purposes, glass eyes are inserted, but specimens preserved solely for research typically do not include eyes, as they are not intended for public viewing. Glass eyeballs don’t help the research process lol.
Wing Display Limitations: Due to storage constraints, wings cannot be displayed; instead, they are kept flat and layered within cabinets to optimize space and preservation.
Currently, the team is engaged in a project investigating Orioles in a specific region to understand where hybridization occurs and where populations diverge into western and eastern subspecies. The two groups can be distinguished by plumage coloration, with the western variety having a lighter orange hue and the eastern variety displaying a deeper, darker orange.
