Natural History Museum Of Zimbabwe

Call: +263-29-2250 045

Ornithology

Ornithology – Is the name given to the study of birds. Ornithology is derived from the ancient Greek “ornis” meaning bird and “logos” meaning explanation.

Ornithology
Africa Vultures and Marabou Stork feeding on a sable

The department of Ornithology boasts of a very comprehensive collection of birds and is the largest collection of bird skins in Africa and the fourth largest biggest in the world after those at The British Museum in Tring, The Museum of Central Africa in Belgium and the American Museum of Natural History.

It comprises about 100 000 study skins, 2 000 skeletons, 8 000 egg clutches, a few nests, a small anatomical collection as well as 40 types specimens.

The bird collection dates back to the early 1900s and by 1947 the collection was well organised and large additions were made to it by way of Museum expeditions both locally and to neighbouring Botswana.

When Michael P.S. Irwin(see past curators) became Curator of Ornithology, he did extensive collecting locally as well as Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia and later Tanzania and Kenya. Specimens from the rest of Africa were obtained mainly by exchange.

Today the collection has a 90% coverage of the Ethiopian Region. The egg collection has been built entirely by way of donations from egg collectors within and without the borders.

The department also holds the biggest database for the Nest Record Cards (+40 000) relating to most of the solitary breeders in Zimbabwe. The scheme was established in 1951 by the then Rhodesia Ornithological Society under the auspices of the South African Ornithological society and in 1981 it was handed over to Museums to administer. This is an ongoing exercise that has grown over the years as a result of the voluntary work of dedicated bird watchers.

The size and comprehensive nature of this collection makes it a valuable database for research to resolve various taxonomic and systematic issues.

The department has worked closely with Birdlife Zimbabwe on the Important Bird Areas Project and Southern African Bird Atlas. The collection was also very useful in the production of the Birds of Zimbabwe by M.P.S. Irwin in the early 1980s.

Birds of the Kalarhari
Birds of the Kalarhari including a Namaqua Sandgrouse and Black Korhaan

Current and Future Research Projects

The Present Curator, Mrs Viola Makazava is currently computerising the collection as well as undergoing research on the Southern Ground Hornbill.

Your Shopping Cart

  • Your basket is empty.

Please Review Us

Please Review Us

It would mean so much to us if you were to leave us a Google Review. By doing so, you would be telling others how much you like our Museum.

GOOD
258 reviews on
David Reason
David Reason
26/01/2021
This is a fabulous treasure for Zimbabwe with around 7 separate galleries of very well presented exhibits such as geology, entomology, herpetology, African mammals, colonial history, local African tribes, astronomy, humankind and mycology (fungi). It also houses hundreds of thousands of specimens in around 10 Collections, including arachnids, Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), birds, snakes, plants and fungi - these Collections can be seen but by appointment only. The museum staff are pleasant and knowledgeable. There is an onsite café to pick up a snack or two and a public library of really interesting natural history books. There is also good info on the two World Heritage sites managed by the museum, these being the Matobo World View site and the Khami Ruins which are also magical places to go and visit!
Angel Bert
Angel Bert
05/12/2020
It was lovely experience
Fritz Madida
Fritz Madida
03/12/2020
Most fascinating collection of historical artefacrs
CLIVE SIBANDA J
CLIVE SIBANDA J
26/11/2020
Thank you for the important information
Thabo Pricel
Thabo Pricel
22/11/2020
Amaze balls
Nkosinathi Mdudo
Nkosinathi Mdudo
07/11/2020
Such an amazing experience