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)

Bird skull Quiz

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

Bird skull photographs

An amount of more then 2500 skull pictures can be found on the site, of appr. 850 different species. 300 new species will follow soon. Go to the skull database seach page to view more pictures


Example of pictures in database: Ramphastos swainsonii (Swainson's Tucan); side-, top-, and bottom view

Sign our guestbook

We are allways curious about your opinion, and would appreciate your comments, suggestions, critisism and idea's for improvements or additions.
Please sign here...


Corythaeola cristata
(Blue Plantain-Eater)

cleaning tutorial

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

3D models of bird skeletons

3-D rotating skeletons of a Greater Rhea, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Common Buzzard and Northern Goshawk.


Watching these movies requires the flash 5 plugin and a bit of patience (average file size appr. 300 Kb)

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.

Determination

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

Contact us

Please contact us via email:

Jan Jansen
Wouter van Gestel

(Conservators EDC / WUR)

Via normal mail, you can reach us at the following addresses:

Jan Jansen
Spitsbergerpad 3
3911 NH Rhenen
The Netherlands

Wouter van Gestel
Torenpad 56
2771 EV Boskoop
The Netherlands


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
 Sternidae  terns,   sterns   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 
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   Megapodidae  megapodes ,   grootpoothoenders   Phasianidae  pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, quail, peafowl,   fazanten, kwartels, patrijzen, pauwen 
Gaviiformes Gaviiformes
 Gaviidae  divers, loons,   duikers 
Gruiformes Gruiformes
 Rallidae  rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules,   rallen, koeten, bleshoenders   Ploceidae  weavers,   wevers   Gruidae  cranes,   kraanvogels   Cariamidae  seriemas,   seriema's   Otidae  bustards,   trappen   Aramidae  limpkin,   koerlan   Eurypygidae  sunbittern,   zonneral   Psophidae  trumpeters,   trompetvogels   Turnicidae  buttonquail,   vechtkwartels 
Opisthocomiformes Opisthocomiformes
 Opisthocomidae  hoatzin,   hoatzin 
Passeriformes Passeriformes
 Sylviidae  sylviid warblers or true warblers,   zangers van de Oude Wereld   Aegithinidae  loras,   lora's   Mimidae  thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers,   spotlijsters   Hirundinidae  swallows, martins,   zwaluwen   Parulidae  New World warblers,   Amerikaanse zangers   Paridae  tits, chickadees,   mezen   Troglodytidae  wrens,   winterkoningen   Corviidae  crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers,   kraaien, roeken, raven, kauwen, gaaien, eksters, notenkrakers   Dicaeidae  flowerpeckers,   bastaardhoningvogels   Monarchidae  ,      Dicruridae  drongos,   drongo's   Pycnonotidae  bulbuls,   buulbuuls   Aegithalidae  Long-tailed tits,   staartmezen   Tyrannidae  tyrant flycatchers,   tirannen   Fringillidae  true finches,   vinken   Pipridae  manakins,   manakins   Pachycephalidae  whistlers, shrike-thrushes, shrike-tits, pitohuis, Crested Bellbird,   dikkoppen, fluiters   Timalidae  babblers,   timalia's   Certhiidae  treecreepers,   boomkruipers   Campephagidae  cuckoo-shrike,   rupsvogels   Melliphagidae  honeyeaters,   honingeters   Vireonidae  vireos,   vireo's   Prunellidae  accentors,   heggenmussen   Emberizidae  buntings,   gors, gorzen   Icteriidae  icterids,   troepialen   Eurilaimidae  ,      Ptilonorhynchidae  bowerbirds, catbirds,   prieelvogels   Oriolidae  ,   wielewalen, vijgvogels   Sturnidae  starlings,   spreeuwen   Bombycillidae  waxwings,   pestvogels   Zosteropidae  white-eyes,   brilvogels   Laniidae  shrikes,   klauwieren   Cotingidae  cotingas, cock-of-the-rocks,   cotinga's, rotshaan   Ploceidae  weavers,   wevers   Nectariniidae  sunbirds, spiderhunters,   honingzuigers   Estrildidae  Estrildid Finches,   prachtvinken   Artamidae  woodswallows, butcherbirds,   spitsvogels   Muscicapidae  Old World flycatchers,   vliegenvangers   Sittidae  nuthatches,   boomklevers   Alaudidae  larks,   leeuwerikken   Paradisaeidae  birds of paradise,   paradijsvogels   Irenidae  fairy-bluebirds,   bladvogels   Furnariidae  ovenbirds,   ovenvogels   Passeridae  Old World sparrows,   mussen   Turdidae  thrushes,   lijsters   Cracticidae  woodswallows, butcherbirds,   fluitvogels, orgelvogels, klauwierkraaien   Pittidae  pittas,   pitta's   Motacillidae  pipits, wagtails, longclaws,   kwikstaarten, piepers   Grallinidae  ,   moddervogels 
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
 Tytonidae  barn-owls,   kerkuilen   Strigidae  owls,   uilen 
Struthioniformes Struthioniformes
 Struthionidae  ostrich,   struisvogel 
Tinamiformes Tinamiformes
 Tinamidae  tinamou,   tinamoes 
Trogoniformes Trogoniformes
 Trogonidae  trogons,   trogons 


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No part of this website can be copied without previous permission of the webmaster

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.

 

 

Ai