History of Ornithology Archives - British Ornithologists' Union

In this blog series we explore how our understanding of ornithology has developed and changed over time, often inspired by papers recently published in IBIS.

Card-carrying Ornithologists

By Robert Montgomerie|2026-01-16T01:18:48+00:0015 Jan 2026|citizen science, History of Ornithology, Migration, Nest Record Scheme, nest recording|

The roots of citizen science

How many bird species?

By Robert Montgomerie|2026-01-15T21:26:19+00:0026 Dec 2025|cryptic species, History of Ornithology, hummingbirds, Taxonomy|

The answer: it depends.

The Gems of Creation

By Robert Montgomerie|2025-11-23T19:52:23+00:0023 Nov 2025|History of Ornithology, hummingbirds, Names|

Enchanted by hummingbirds

Rock Art

By Robert Montgomerie|2025-10-17T00:11:50+00:0017 Oct 2025|bird-human interactions, corvids, game bird, herons, History of Ornithology, owls, raptors, vultures, waders|

Ancient paintings and etchings of birds on rocks

Iconic Birds

By Robert Montgomerie|2025-10-03T13:16:56+00:003 Oct 2025|brood parasitism, Cuckoos, History of Ornithology|

What makes a bird iconic?

Wild Duck

By Robert Montgomerie|2025-07-27T00:00:48+00:0027 Jul 2025|captive-breeding, extinction, Galliformes, game bird, History of Ornithology, hunting pressure, waterbirds|

Domestication and the Mallard

A Bird in the Hand

By Robert Montgomerie|2025-05-19T22:26:51+00:0019 May 2025|History of Ornithology, migrant, Migration, migration stopover, ringing|

The enduring value of bird observatories

Horse of the Woodland

By Robert Montgomerie|2025-04-28T15:18:53+00:0018 Apr 2025|display, Galliformes, game bird, History of Ornithology, sexual dimorphism, sexual selection, woodland birds|

The Scottish origins of the name 'Capercaillie'

The Swedish Game

By Robert Montgomerie|2025-03-19T23:19:09+00:0020 Mar 2025|behaviour, bird trapping, game bird, History of Ornithology|

A lek is a mating game where males display close together to attract females

Blinded by the Light

By Robert Montgomerie|2025-02-21T02:48:24+00:0020 Feb 2025|adult survival, History of Ornithology, migrant, Migration|

Lighthouses and lightships were once dangerous to migratory birds but provided some useful early insights into migration