Museum Specialists Evaluate Historic Bird Collection

Museum experts in Leeds have conducted a detailed examination of a collection featuring some of the world’s largest birds. Curators at the city’s Discovery Centre have cleaned, measured, and assessed these taxidermied birds, each exceeding a century in age. Among the collection are a wandering albatross, presented behind Victorian glass to highlight its wingspan, and the imposing skeleton of an ostrich. These birds are part of a broader collection at the centre, comprising thousands of animals, many of which were gathered in the 1800s by affluent industrialists. Clare Brown, from Leeds Museums and Galleries, stated, “If you were man in Leeds showing off how wealthy and interested in science you were, then you would commission people to send you animals from around the world.” The skeletal remains of a moa represent the largest avian species housed at the Discovery Centre. These wingless birds, which could reach heights of 12ft (3.6m), were historically present throughout New Zealand before being hunted to extinction approximately 700 years ago. Ms Brown, who serves as a curator of natural sciences, commented, “I spend a lot of my time fighting clothes moths.” She added, “We want to make sure that anything that likes eating museum specimens is not involved in museum specimens.” During the assessment, staff measured the albatross specimen, noting its wingspan of 9.8ft (3m), even though it is a juvenile. The albatross possesses the longest wingspan among all living birds. A mounted emperor penguin also underwent examination, as did the skeleton of a fully-grown ostrich, recognized as the world’s largest bird. Ms Brown indicated that the collection is accessible for public viewing and simultaneously functions as a significant resource for scientists. She further stated, “Everything we have is a really good indication of what the world should look like and how we should be protecting the environment,” adding, “We have some wonderful things for visitors to look at, but it’s great for scientists to do some proper interrogation.”