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:

New: Unique pictures of dodo skull

Dodo, Raphus cucullatus

The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) is extinct since the second half of the 17th century. The dodo pictures show the only intact skull in existence (still covered with skin on one side), which was taken from the last surviving mounted specimen. Many thanks to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History for providing us with these pictures.

The Oxford Museum owns the copyright of these pictures, and use without their permission is not allowed.

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

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: Pernis apivorus (Honey Buzzard); 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

Anatidae swans, geese and ducks, zwanen, ganzen, eenden Anhimidae screamers, hoenderkoeten

Apodiformes

Hemiprocnidae Treeswifts, Boomgierzwaluwen Trochilidae hummingbirds, kolibries Apodidae swifts, gierzwaluwen

Apterygiformes

Apterygidae kiwis, kiwi's

Caprimulgiformes

Aegothelidae owlet-nightjars, dwergnachtzwaluwen Podargidae frogmouths, uilnachtzwaluwen Eurostopodidae Eared-nightjars, Caprimulgidae nightjars, nighthawks, nachtzwaluwen Nyctibiidae potoos, Reuzennachtzwaluwen Steatornithidae Oilbird, Vetvogel

Casuariiformes

Casuariidae cassowary, kasuarissen Dromaiidae emu, emoe

Charadriiformes

Haematopodidae oystercatchers , scholeksters Rynchopidae Skimmers, Schaarbekken Stercorariidae Skuas, (Grote) Jagers Glareolidae pratincoles coursers Egyptian Plover, vorkstaartplevieren, renvogels, krokodilwachters Dromadidae Crab-plover, Krabplevier 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 Phalaropodiae phalaropes, Franjepoten Burhinidae Stone-curlews, Grielen Sternidae terns, sterns Laridae gulls, meeuwen Chionididae Sheathbills, IJshoenders Alcidae auks, alken Jacanidae jacanas, jacana's

Ciconiiformes

Threskiornithidae ibises, spoonbills, ibissen, lepelaars Ciconiidae storks, ooievaars Ardeidae herons, egrets, bitterns, reigers, kwakken, woudaapjes, roerdompen Balaenicipitidae Shoebill, Schoenbekooievaar Scopidae Hammerkop, Hamerkop

Coliiformes

Coliidae mousebirds, muisvogels

Columbiformes

Columbidae pigions, doves, duiven (duif-achtigen) Raphidae Didines, Dodo's

Coraciiformes

Meropidae bee-eaters, bijeneters Brachypteraciidae Ground-rollers, Grondscharrelaars Coraciidae rollers, scharrelaars Momotidae motmots, motmots Bucerotidae (ground) hornbills, neushoornvogels, hoornraaf Upupidae Hoopoe, Hoppen Alcedinidae River kingfishers, IJsvogels Leptosomidae Cuckoo Roller, Koerol Phoeniculidae woodhoopoes, scimitars, kakelaars, boomhoppen Todidae Tody, Todies

Cuculiformes

Musophagidae turacos, plantain-eaters, go-away-birds, toerako's Cuculidae cuckoos, koekoeken

Falconiformes

Falconidae falcons and caracara's, valken, caracara's Sagittariidae Secretary birds, Secretarisvogels Cathartidae New World vultures, condor, gieren van de nieuwe wereld, condors Pandionidae osprey, visarend Accipitridae , Havikachtigen

Galliformes

Tetraonidae grouse, capercaillie, Prairie-Chickens, Ruigpoothoenders, sneeuwhoenders, korhoenders, auerhoenders, prairiehoenders Megapodiidae Megapodes or incubator birds or mound-builders, Grootpoothoenders Odontophoridae New World quail, Amerikaanse kwartels Meleagridae turkey, kalkoen Phasianidae pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, quail, peafowl, fazanten, kwartels, patrijzen, pauwen Cracidae chachalacas, guans, curassows, sjakohoenders, hokko's Numididae guineafowl, parelhoenders

Gaviiformes

Gaviidae divers, loons, duikers

Gruiformes

Aramidae limpkin, koerlan Heliornithidae , Fuutkoeten Psophidae trumpeters, trompetvogels Eurypygidae sunbittern, zonneral Rallidae rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules, rallen, koeten, bleshoenders Turnicidae buttonquail, vechtkwartels Otidae bustards, trappen Rhynochetidae Kagu, Kagoe Cariamidae seriemas, seriema's Gruidae cranes, kraanvogels Mesitornithidae Mesites , Steltrallen

Opisthocomiformes

Opisthocomidae hoatzin, hoatzin

Passeriformes

Furnariidae ovenbirds, ovenvogels Corviidae crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, kraaien, roeken, raven, kauwen, gaaien, eksters, notenkrakers Vangidae Vanga, Vanga's Irenidae fairy-bluebirds, bladvogels Acanthisittidae New Zealand wrens, Rotswinterkoningen Passeridae Old World sparrows, mussen Nectariniidae sunbirds, spiderhunters, honingzuigers Pittidae pittas, pitta's Aegithalidae Long-tailed tits, staartmezen Dicruridae drongos, drongo's Estrildidae Estrildid Finches, prachtvinken Remizidae Penduline tits, Buidelmezen Motacillidae pipits, wagtails, longclaws, kwikstaarten, piepers Paradisaeidae birds of paradise, paradijsvogels Pycnonotidae bulbuls, buulbuuls Parulidae New World warblers, Amerikaanse zangers Certhiidae treecreepers, boomkruipers Rhinocryptidae tapaculos , Tapaculo's Chloropseidae Leafbirds, Bladvogels Turnagridae Piopio, Turnagra Paridae tits, chickadees, mezen Troglodytidae wrens, winterkoningen Dicaeidae flowerpeckers, bastaardhoningvogels Cardinalidae Cardinals, Kardinalen Vireonidae vireos, vireo's Emberizidae buntings, gors, gorzen Picathartidae rockfowl or bald crows, Kaalkopkraaien Monarchidae Monarch flycatchers, Monarchen en waaierstaartvliegenvangers Mimidae thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, spotlijsters Prunellidae accentors, heggenmussen Pipridae manakins, manakins Bombycillidae waxwings, pestvogels Cinclidae Dippers, Waterspreeuwen Hirundinidae swallows, martins, zwaluwen Callaeidae New Zealand wattlebirds, Nieuw-Zeelandse lelvogels Pachycephalidae whistlers, shrike-thrushes, shrike-tits, pitohuis, Crested Bellbird, dikkoppen, fluiters Timalidae babblers, timalia's Campephagidae cuckoo-shrike, rupsvogels Turdidae thrushes, lijsters Sittidae nuthatches, boomklevers Paradoxornithidae Parrotbills, Diksnavelmezen Thraupidae tanagers, tanagers Menuridae Lyrebird, Liervogel Melliphagidae honeyeaters, honingeters Tyrannidae tyrant flycatchers, tirannen Viduidae indigobirds and whydahs, Ptilonorhynchidae bowerbirds, catbirds, prieelvogels Alaudidae larks, leeuwerikken Tichodromadidae Wallcreeper, Rotskuiper Fringillidae true finches, vinken Dendrocolaptidae Woodcreepers, Muisspechten Oriolidae , wielewalen, vijgvogels Sturnidae starlings, spreeuwen Zosteropidae white-eyes, brilvogels Regulidae kinglets or crests, Goudhaantjes Cotingidae cotingas, cock-of-the-rocks, cotinga's, rotshaan Cracticidae woodswallows, butcherbirds, fluitvogels, orgelvogels, klauwierkraaien Promeropidae Sugarbirds, Afrikaanse suikervogels Laniidae shrikes, klauwieren Icteriidae icterids, troepialen Ploceidae weavers, wevers Artamidae woodswallows, butcherbirds, spitsvogels Aegithinidae loras, lora's Grallinidae , moddervogels Eurilaimidae Broadbill, Breedbekken en hapvogels Conopophagidae Gnateaters, Muggeneters Muscicapidae Old World flycatchers, vliegenvangers Cisticolidae , Sylviidae sylviid warblers or true warblers, zangers van de Oude Wereld

Pelecaniformes

Sulidae gannets, boobies, genten Phalacrocoracidae cormorants, shags, aalscholvers Pelagornithidae Pelagornithidae, Pelagornithidae Pelecanidae pelicans, pelikanen Phaethontidae Tropicbirds, Keerkringvogels Anhingidae darters, slangenhalsvogels Fregatidae frigatebirds, fregatvogels

Phoenicopteriformes

Phoenicopteridae flamingo's, flamingo's

Piciformes

Picidae woodpeckers, spechten Capitonidae American barbets, baardvogels Indicatoridae Honeyguides, Honingspeurders Ramphastidae toucans, toekans

Podicipediformes

Podicipedidae grebes, futen

Procellariiformes

Hydrobatidae storm-petrels, stormvogeltjes Procellariidae petrels, prions, shearwaters., stormvogels en pijlstormvogels Pelecanoidae pelicans, pelikanen Diomedeidae albatrosses, albatrossen

Psittaciformes

Psittacidae true parrots, parakeets, macaws, papegaaien, parkieten, ara's Cacatuidae cockatoos, kaketoes Strigopidae New Zealand parrots, Nieuw Zeeland papegaaien

Pteroclidiformes

Pteroclididae sandgrouse, zandhoenders

Rheiformes

Rheidae rhea, nandoe

Sphenisciformes

Spheniscidae penguins, pinguins

Strigiformes

Tytonidae barn-owls, kerkuilen Strigidae owls, uilen

Struthioniformes

Struthionidae ostrich, struisvogel

Tinamiformes

Tinamidae tinamou, tinamoes

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.