Sardinian birds, from the 18th century collections to date - Collections

The bird collection of the Museum of Zoology at the University of Cagliari well represents the Sardinian bird fauna. The many specimens collected over a two-hundred-year period make this collection one of exceptional historical importance. It is likely that the collection was initially formed of an original nucleus (which can be no longer identified) that dates back to the rule of Viceroy Carlo Felice. Gaetano Cara’s contribution certainly helped expand the collection; he started working as preparator in 1827 (aged 24) and later became the director of the museum (1840-1858). After Cara, many other naturalists were appointed directors of this museum and they also contributed to enlarge the collection up until the beginning of the 20^th century. During the following years, mainly due to the two world wars, the collection was severely damaged and many specimens were lost. A limited number of specimens were added between the 1970s and 1990s. 

The collection mainly comprises specimens representing Sardinian fauna that were most likely collected on the island. However, it also contains a significant number of exotic, land and sea birds from different parts of the world. The collection still holds approximately 800 of the 1,135 pieces that were recorded in the museum’s archive, which was compiled between 1875 and the beginning of the 20^th century. Unfortunately, Cara’s catalogues and previous inventories were lost and the information regarding the collection process is therefore unavailable. A small number of specimens still feature tags containing such information and only partial information can be gleaned from the direct and indirect references left by the scholars who examined and added pieces to this collection from the second half of the 19^th century on. To date, we have been able to clearly identify the exact capture date and/or site of an extremely limited number of birds.  

Although reduced in number, the specimens of the collection represent more than 350 species of Sardinian birds, including some rare and atypical specimens. For example, the Razorbill (Alca torda), Little bunting (Emberiza pusilla), Rose-coloured starling (Pastor roseus), and Cream-coloured courser (Cursorius cursor) were all captured in Sardinia, as demonstrated by their tags or mentions in the ornithology literature. There are also samples of other species that are now extinct in Sardinia, such as the White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), Black vulture (Aegypius monachus), Lammergeier vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata), White-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala), and Black wheatear (Oenanthe leucura). Yet other species can no longer be found anywhere in the world, such as the Passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius); it used to be common in many areas in the past but died out at the beginning of the 20^th century.  

Click on the images to wiew the ICCD catalog cards

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