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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Runaround" data-source="post: 1582328" data-attributes="member: 18591">Our Audubon chapter had a tour of the specimens collection at the local museum of natural history.  The curator discussed specimens and had some good points:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is always new research ideas being developed and having specimens representing a long time period is very useful.  There is a lot of research we haven't even conceived of yet and having specimens will necessary to prove out the science.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">We saw the type specimen for a new species that is waiting publication.  The only way to conclusively determine it is a new species was through the investigation of physical specimens.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The curator receives far more specimens that are victims of window strikes than those that are collected in the field with a shotgun.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">He would never collect a specimen just for the sake of collecting.  Sure, the museum would like to have more examples of rare or unusual birds but they are not out looking to fill the drawers just because they can.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The approval process to collect is very difficult.  Even if an extremely rare bird were to arrive in town today and stick around for a few weeks, it is unlikely that the bird could be collected legally.  No professional scientist will risk their career to collect a specimen illegally.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">He shared one interesting statistic.  This only applies to North America but I would suspect the numbers apply to most regions.  If you add up all the specimens collected by shotgun by ornithologists in North America in a year, it is roughly the equivalent to the food requirements of 6 Coopers Hawks.  It's not like they are out there blowing away huge numbers of birds.  Now compare that to the numbers of birds killed by house cats, large buildings, wind turbines, or telecommunications towers.</li> </ul>I wonder how many professional scientists read BF?  I'm sure they can come up with even better information.</blockquote>

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