The
stellar’s jay swept up into the conifer like a spirit, dark and sudden and
mystic. Cobalt feathers shone with an inner glow, for the cloudy skies offered
little light to illuminate his plumage. A finely barred tail flicked, the bird
shifted on his perch, and then his face was there. Ebony black with a thought
of azure, his head bobbed under a remarkably plush crest. Brilliant white
strikes above his eye and bill accented his smart look, an outward expression
of the intelligence within. Sprightly and confident was he as he fluttered down
on fairy wings to stand on the dry bed of fallen pine needles, black feet
sturdy on the sienna surface.
Around
him, cascading twirls of the most effortlessly beautiful music twinkled through
the trees; the hermit thrushes were singing their praises. Timidly the notes
wove delicate spirals, their tender notes caressing the air. The melodies filled
the forest like fresh dew as the songs answered one another with tinkling
shyness.
A
bubbling mountain brook joined the chorus as it rushed over pebbles and by
boulders. In a conifer not a few steps from the water, a thrush was building
her nest. She flitted up with a large stick held steadfast in her dainty bill,
and arranged it to her liking among the others she had woven. Her partner in
his nervous manner did the same, his robust breast puffed with pride at the
task. The pair traded places; she flew out just as he flapped in with a new
twig. They were busy and could not be deterred.
Meanwhile,
a harried mother mountain chickadee was hopping frantically, ever aiming to
satisfy the incessant cries of her child. Though he was fully fledged, his
hunger was begging to be satiated by his mother, and she could barely keep up
with his demands. The forest was alive with the sounds of growth. The trees
whispered as they reached skyward, the only direction they knew. Paying no mind
to the quickly gathering thunderheads, they continued in their sure yet steady
path into the heavens where, in time, the feathered beings who inhabited their
branches would spread wings and danceamong the clouds.
originally posted on the American Birding Association's The EYRIE blog
Manakins
Dusty skins and tired penmanship do not conjure particularly
inviting images, though they are quite beautiful when given the chance. Cold,
muffled steps down corridors and through bright rooms filled with jars and
boxes and cases. The belly of the museum is brimming with quiet fascination;
a new discovery behind each door and wall.
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History hosted the Ohio Young Birders Club on a
snowy late January morning, giving the members an incredible look at the wonders of
the collections housed past publicentry.
Led by the knowledgeable Andy Jones, Director of Science and Curator of
Ornithology, the group was first shown the skin of a recently deceased Common
Loon. Her left wing pinned separately from her cotton-stuffed body, the bird managed grace and
mystery even in death. She was surrounded by the skins and wings of a female
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a chickadee. Andy explained the reasoning behind the
relatively recent practice of separating the birds and wings: when the skin dries,
it becomes stiff and immobile. A researcher would have no way of looking under
the wing if the bird was preserved with its wings folded. In order to provide a
more extensively useful specimen, one wing is removed and pinned
separately.
Additionally, small tissue and organ samples are preserved for
select birds. This loon was represented in one of the many freezers by tiny
sections of her heart and muscle, potential resources in future ornithological
breakthroughs. Skins, however, are the most common way of preserving birds and
Andy showed off a female Ruddy Duck, a male Hooded Merganser, and an Eastern
Screech Owl. Finally, a most unusual bird was presented: a
"gynandromorph", or a half-male, half-female individual. True to its
bi-gender designation down to the reproductive organs, this Northern Cardinal
was strikingly bilateral in its appearance.
Half female, half male NOCA
Next, Andy moved the group to a larger room, where boxes lay
stacked, concealing endless elements of bird, reptile, and amphibian skeletons.
Andy chose to exhibit a Sandhill Crane skeleton, paying special attention to
the keel. Sandhill Cranes, he taught, have a special adaptation in their
breastbone to project their unmistakable trumpeting song as far as possible.
Their tracheas pass through the keel in an immaculate curve, causing the entire
bone to reverberate with their song and add strength to the
sound.
Male Cocks-of-the-Rocks
Male and Female Lovely Cotinga
After the lesson on cranes, Andy led the birders to perhaps the
most exciting portion of the museum: the vast collection of approximately 30,000
bird specimens from all corners of the globe. Upon the opening of one of the
many white uniform metal drawers, an explosion of life burst forth.
Colourful and exotic birds of all shapes, sizes, and taxonomical placements met
the eyes of the eager visitors, their diversity astounding. A row of
brilliantly orange and black Cocks-of-the-Rocks lay alongside charismatic manakins
of all sorts, including Club-winged and Red-capped. Cotingas such as the
striking blue Lovely Cotinga and his cryptic brown female counterpart were in
the same drawer. A puzzling creature with a curiously set wattle was a curious
sight: the White Bellbird. In order to preserve the vulnerable skin of the long
wattle, a stick had been inserted and so the wattle dried in a stiff, upright
position, rising from the face of the Bellbird like a fantastical unicorn
horn.
White Bellbird
Club-winged Manakin
Imperial Woodpeckers
Peering over the shoulders of the birders as
they examined the beautiful birds were two of the rarest and most talked about
of them all: the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the Imperial Woodpecker. Giants
among their relatives, the woodpeckers possessed stunning ivory bills and
magnificent crests. The mere presence of their skins was enough to send ripples
of exhilaration and wonderment through the group. Legendary in status, the
Ivory-bill is central in an ongoing debate over its existence, while the
extinction of the Imperial remains generally unchallenged. The uncertain fate
of these remarkable birds degrades not their mystique, and perhaps only lends
might to their charm.
Giant African Hornbills and breathtaking
quetzals were next displayed, along with a variety of amazing hummingbird
species. The Giant Hummingbird is the world’s largest, while the Swordbill is
the only bird whose bill length is greater than the body length. A Chimney
Swift was shown as well, its long, tapered wings crossed over its back, framing
needle-sharp tail tips built for stability as it nests on vertical surfaces.
Parrots and parakeets followed, as well as an
impressive Kakapo. A large, flightless, nocturnal parrot endemic to New
Zealand, the Kakapo nests in indentations in the ground and these indentations
will be used by generations of birds to come. Andy taught the differences
between parrots and parakeets; parrots have short, generally squared tails,
while parakeets sport long, angled tails. Lastly, a Barn Owl was displayed, the
soft edges of her flight feathers amazing in their adaption to silent flight.
Kakapo
It was then time for young birder Lukas
Padegimas to give a short presentation in the entomology department. His
enthusiasm for the creatures was palpable as he spoke. He shared stories of his
Alaskan travels and the insects encountered and even the few he collected and
brought back as specimens. These specimens now bear his name under their pins
and are possible new species.
After Lukas’ talk, Andy returned to his daily
work as curator and the birders headed to the café for lunch. They were free to
explore the remaining halls of the museum and socialize. A chance to talk and
spend time with fellow young birders is always welcomed among the teens and
what better place to do so than among such a rich collection of artifacts and
animals. All who visited had an outstanding time and learned so very much about
some of the world’s most intriguing species.
Through the well-preserved array of bird skins,
many of which have uncertain origins due to their age, the young birders and
their adult companions had the chance to be educated in ways not possible
without such preservation of specimens. Museum collections are truly a vital
resource in the preservation of and education about our avian neighbors.
