Our primary focus is to document and interpret the distribution, diversity, individual and geographic variation, systematics, and secondarily, the ecology and behaviour of the birds of Alberta. We also acquire material from outside the province to be able to tell the Alberta story well.

We have the only public bird collection dealing with the birds of the province and the single most important collection of avian material in Alberta.

We are also one of the few museums in the country still actively acquiring and preparing specimens for its collections.

Our collections have strong representations of study skins and skeletons of variable Alberta species and raptors, birds from remote and/or significant areas of the province (Bitscho Lake, Andrew Lake, Winefred Lake, McIntyre Ranch, Chinchaga area). We also have one of the largest collection of bird mounts in the country.

We document rare bird sightings in the province and maintain the Official List of the Birds of Alberta.

We will gladly accept bird material (including window strikes) of known provenience, date of collection and collector name. Please contact Jocelyn Hudon, Curator, Ornithology.