Skip to content

Birds

Corncrakes (Crex crex)

These collections include approximately 20,000 specimens. Most of our birds are preserved as study skins. A full catalogue has been completed, with all specimens of study skins, mounted skins, skeletons, eggs and nests now in our database.

Online Resources

Books on Birds

  • The Complete Guide to Ireland’s Birds, Eric Dempsey and Michael Gill, 2002, Gill and Macmillan, London
  • The Life of Birds, David Attenborough, 1998, BBC Books, London
  • Ireland’s Lost Birds, Gordon D’Arcy, 1999, Four Courts Press, Dublin
  • A List of the Birds of Ireland, Robert Ruttledge, 1980, National Museum of Ireland, Dublin

Publications on our bird collections

  • Humphreys, G.R. 1937. A list of Irish birds showing the species contained in the National Collection. Fifth Edition. National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.
  • Kennedy, P. G.1961. List of the birds of Ireland. National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.
  • More, A.G. 1890. A list of Irish birds showing the species contained in the Science and Art Museum, Dublin. Second Edition. HMSO and Science and Art Museum, Dublin.
  • Nichols, A. R. 1911. Irish birds. Bulletin of the National Museum of Science and Art, Dublin, 1 (2): 1-3, pls. 2-4.
  • Nichols, A. R. 1911. Birds useful to agriculture, etc. Bulletin of the National Museum of Science and Art, Dublin, 1 (3): 2-3, pls. 2-4.
  • Nichols, A. R. 1912. Irish birds. Bulletin of the National Museum of Science and Art, Dublin, 2 (1): 1-2, pl. 3.
  • Nichols, A.R. 1920. Catalogue of the birds in the Barrington collection, National Museum, Dublin. John Falconer, Dublin.
  • Ruttledge, R.F. 1975. A list of the birds of Ireland. National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.
  • Ruttledge, R.F. 1980. A list of the birds of Ireland. National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.
  • Ussher, R.J. 1908. A list of Irish birds showing the species contained in the National Collection. HMSO and National Museum of Science and Art, Dublin.
  • Ussher, R.J. and Nicholls, A.R. 1924. A list of Irish birds showing the species contained in the National Collection. Second Edition. National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.
     

Sign up to our newsletter

Keep up to date

Receive updates on the latest exhibitions