Bird skull collection

Welcome to Skullsite.com. On this site you will find an enormous amount of information about bird skulls and anatomy of species from the Western Palearctic and other areas from all over the world.

Quick search for skull:

Enter search string (e.g. buzzard)

New: Detailed 3D views with high resolution images of bird skulls

Photosynth is a software application from Microsoft Live Labs and the University of Washington that analyzes digital photographs and generates a three-dimensional model of the photos and a point cloud of a photographed object. We generated several 3D models of (bird) skulls using this software tool.

Requires Microsoft Silverlight plugin

Bird skull Quiz

quiz New: Test your knowlegde on bird and skull anatomy by answering 20 questions....

Bird skull photographs

An amount of appr. 1200 skulls can be found in the database, most of which have been photographed. Go to the skull database seach page to view more pictures


Example of pictures in database: Megalaima australis (Blue-eared Barbet); side-, top-, and bottom view

cleaning tutorial

Learn all about cleaning skulls and skeletons by maceration. Click here for a comprehensive tutorial

Determination

On the determination page you can identify skulls on the basis of morphological characteristics such as bill shape and skull dimensions...

3D models of bird skeletons


black woodpecker skeleton

3-D rotating skeletons of a Greater Rhea, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Common Buzzard, Northern Goshawk, common swift, Crossbill, Moorhen, Curlew, Tawny owl, Fulmar, Black woodpecker, Congo peafowl, Griffon vulture, Hyacinth macaw, Maguari stork, Papua hornbill. Many more to come.


Search the database

To search for specific birds, use our skull database search page. It is possible to search for dutch, english, french, spanish, german and scientific names.


Skeleton of griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus)
(Click on image to enlarge)

For a complete overview of specimens in our collection you can view the scientific list.

Contact us

Please contact us via email:

Jan Jansen
Wouter van Gestel

(Conservators EDC / WUR)



Phoenicopterus ruber
(Greater Flamingo)

Index of bird orders and families

Anseriformes Anseriformes
 Anatidae  swans, geese and ducks,   zwanen, ganzen, eenden   Anhimidae  screamers,   hoenderkoeten 
Apodiformes Apodiformes
 Trochilidae  hummingbirds,   kolibries   Apodidae  swifts,   gierzwaluwen 
Apterygiformes Apterygiformes
 Apterygidae  kiwis,   kiwi's 
Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
 Caprimulgidae  nightjars, nighthawks,   nachtzwaluwen   Aegothelidae  owlet-nightjars,   dwergnachtzwaluwen   Podargidae  frogmouths,   uilnachtzwaluwen 
Casuariiformes Casuariiformes
 Casuariidae  cassowary,   kasuarissen   Dromaiidae  emu,   emoe 
Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
 Laridae  gulls,   meeuwen   Alcidae  auks,   alken   Jacanidae  jacanas,   jacana's   Haematopodidae  oystercatchers ,   scholeksters   Stercorariidae  Skuas,   (Grote) Jagers   Glareolidae  pratincoles coursers Egyptian Plover,   vorkstaartplevieren, renvogels, krokodilwachters   Scolopacidae  Curlews, Sandpipers, Godwits, Dowitchers, Snipe and woodcocks, Phalaropes, Shanks and tattlers, Calidrids and turnstones,   Wulpen, grutto's, ruiters, oeverlopers, strandlopers, franjepoten, snippen   Charadriidae  plovers, dotterels, lapwings,   plevieren, kieviten   Rostratulidae  painted snipes,   goudsnippen   Recurvirostridae  avocets, stilts,   kluut, steltkluut   Burhinidae  Stone-curlews,   Grielen   Sternidae  terns,   sterns 
Ciconiiformes Ciconiiformes
 Threskiornithidae  ibises, spoonbills,   ibissen, lepelaars   Ciconiidae  storks,   ooievaars   Ardeidae  herons, egrets, bitterns,   reigers, kwakken, woudaapjes, roerdompen   Scopidae  Hammerkop,   Hamerkop 
Coliiformes Coliiformes
 Coliidae  mousebirds,   muisvogels 
Columbiformes Columbiformes
 Columbidae  pigions, doves,   duiven (duif-achtigen) 
Coraciiformes Coraciiformes
 Bucerotidae  (ground) hornbills,   neushoornvogels, hoornraaf   Upupidae  Hoopoe,   Hoppen   Alcedinidae  ,      Phoeniculidae  woodhoopoes, scimitars,   kakelaars, boomhoppen   Meropidae  bee-eaters,   bijeneters   Coraciidae  rollers,   scharrelaars   Momotidae  motmots,   motmots 
Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
 Musophagidae  turacos, plantain-eaters, go-away-birds,   toerako's   Cuculidae  cuckoos,   koekoeken 
Falconiformes Falconiformes
 Falconidae  falcons and caracara's,   valken, caracara's   Accipitridae  ,      Sagittariidae  Secretary birds,   Secretarisvogels   Cathartidae  New World vultures, condor,   gieren van de nieuwe wereld, condors   Pandionidae  osprey,   visarend 
Galliformes Galliformes
 Meleagridae  ,      Numididae  guineafowl,   parelhoenders   Cracidae  chachalacas, guans, curassows,   sjakohoenders, hokko's   Tetraonidae  grouse, capercaillie, Prairie-Chickens,   Ruigpoothoenders, sneeuwhoenders, korhoenders, auerhoenders, prairiehoenders   Odontophoridae  New World quail,   Amerikaanse kwartels   Phasianidae  pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, quail, peafowl,   fazanten, kwartels, patrijzen, pauwen 
Gaviiformes Gaviiformes
 Gaviidae  divers, loons,   duikers 
Gruiformes Gruiformes
 Ploceidae  weavers,   wevers   Rallidae  rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules,   rallen, koeten, bleshoenders   Gruidae  cranes,   kraanvogels   Cariamidae  seriemas,   seriema's   Eurypygidae  sunbittern,   zonneral   Otidae  bustards,   trappen   Aramidae  limpkin,   koerlan   Turnicidae  buttonquail,   vechtkwartels   Psophidae  trumpeters,   trompetvogels 
Opisthocomiformes Opisthocomiformes
 Opisthocomidae  hoatzin,   hoatzin 
Passeriformes Passeriformes
 Paridae  tits, chickadees,   mezen   Troglodytidae  wrens,   winterkoningen   Dicaeidae  flowerpeckers,   bastaardhoningvogels   Corviidae  crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers,   kraaien, roeken, raven, kauwen, gaaien, eksters, notenkrakers   Monarchidae  ,      Pycnonotidae  bulbuls,   buulbuuls   Dicruridae  drongos,   drongo's   Tyrannidae  tyrant flycatchers,   tirannen   Aegithalidae  Long-tailed tits,   staartmezen   Fringillidae  true finches,   vinken   Pipridae  manakins,   manakins   Pachycephalidae  whistlers, shrike-thrushes, shrike-tits, pitohuis, Crested Bellbird,   dikkoppen, fluiters   Timalidae  babblers,   timalia's   Campephagidae  cuckoo-shrike,   rupsvogels   Certhiidae  treecreepers,   boomkruipers   Melliphagidae  honeyeaters,   honingeters   Prunellidae  accentors,   heggenmussen   Vireonidae  vireos,   vireo's   Icteriidae  icterids,   troepialen   Emberizidae  buntings,   gors, gorzen   Ptilonorhynchidae  bowerbirds, catbirds,   prieelvogels   Eurilaimidae  ,      Oriolidae  ,   wielewalen, vijgvogels   Sturnidae  starlings,   spreeuwen   Zosteropidae  white-eyes,   brilvogels   Bombycillidae  waxwings,   pestvogels   Laniidae  shrikes,   klauwieren   Cotingidae  cotingas, cock-of-the-rocks,   cotinga's, rotshaan   Ploceidae  weavers,   wevers   Nectariniidae  sunbirds, spiderhunters,   honingzuigers   Artamidae  woodswallows, butcherbirds,   spitsvogels   Estrildidae  Estrildid Finches,   prachtvinken   Muscicapidae  Old World flycatchers,   vliegenvangers   Sittidae  nuthatches,   boomklevers   Paradisaeidae  birds of paradise,   paradijsvogels   Alaudidae  larks,   leeuwerikken   Irenidae  fairy-bluebirds,   bladvogels   Furnariidae  ovenbirds,   ovenvogels   Passeridae  Old World sparrows,   mussen   Turdidae  thrushes,   lijsters   Pittidae  pittas,   pitta's   Cracticidae  woodswallows, butcherbirds,   fluitvogels, orgelvogels, klauwierkraaien   Motacillidae  pipits, wagtails, longclaws,   kwikstaarten, piepers   Sylviidae  sylviid warblers or true warblers,   zangers van de Oude Wereld   Grallinidae  ,   moddervogels   Mimidae  thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers,   spotlijsters   Aegithinidae  loras,   lora's   Hirundinidae  swallows, martins,   zwaluwen   Parulidae  New World warblers,   Amerikaanse zangers 
Pelecaniformes Pelecaniformes
 Sulidae  gannets, boobies,   genten   Phalacrocoracidae  cormorants, shags,   aalscholvers   Pelecanidae  pelicans,   pelikanen   Anhingidae  darters,   slangenhalsvogels   Fregatidae  frigatebirds,   fregatvogels 
Phoenicopteriformes Phoenicopteriformes
 Phoenicopteridae  flamingo's,   flamingo's   Capitonidae  American barbets,   baardvogels 
Piciformes Piciformes
 Ramphastidae  toucans,   toekans   Picidae  woodpeckers,   spechten   Capitonidae  American barbets,   baardvogels 
Podicipediformes Podicipediformes
 Podicipedidae  grebes,   futen 
Procellariiformes Procellariiformes
 Pelecanoidae  ,      Diomedeidae  albatrosses,   albatrossen   Hydrobatidae  storm-petrels,   stormvogeltjes   Procellariidae  petrels, prions, shearwaters.,   stormvogels en pijlstormvogels 
Psittaciformes Psittaciformes
 Psittacidae  true parrots, parakeets, macaws,   papegaaien, parkieten, ara's   Cacatuidae  cockatoos,   kaketoes 
Pteroclidiformes Pteroclidiformes
 Pteroclididae  sandgrouse,   zandhoenders 
Rheiformes Rheiformes
 Rheidae  rhea,   nandoe 
Sphenisciformes Sphenisciformes
 Spheniscidae  penguins,   pinguins 
Strigiformes Strigiformes
 Strigidae  owls,   uilen   Tytonidae  barn-owls,   kerkuilen 
Struthioniformes Struthioniformes
 Struthionidae  ostrich,   struisvogel 
Tinamiformes Tinamiformes
 Tinamidae  tinamou,   tinamoes 
Trogoniformes Trogoniformes
 Trogonidae  trogons,   trogons 


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Disclaimer

No bird has been killed to get its skull or skeleton for this collection. All wild birds died of natural causes or accidental, and in a few cases due to legal hunting by others, or died in captivity. The Experimental Zoology Group of Wageningen University has been authorized by the Dutch authorities to own protected European birds after their death. The permit nr is: FEF 27/06/2/98/0051. The Wageningen University also has a CITES exemption, nr NL004.
Who wants to keep (part of) a found bird should inform oneself about the local laws on bird protection.

 

 

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