Extinct Birds

The more than 200 extinct birds in the Naturalis collection are a collection highlight which raises much interest among ornithologists. 135 extinct bird specimens are accessible through the BioPortal. Some of these specimens are unique. Naturalis is the only museum in the world to hold a Tahiti-Sandpiper Prosobonia leucoptera (Gmelin, 1789) and a specimen of Sharpe's Rail Gallirallus sharpei (Büttikofer, 1893). You can view the digitized extinct birds from all angles by rotating the 3d-images.

The nomenclature is based on The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World Dickinson, E.C. (Editor) 3rd Edition, Princeton University Press, 2003.