bird being prepared for collection

The entire vertebrate collection is databased and available electronically atÌýÌýas well as VertNet & GBIF. A considerable portion has georeferenced locality information (GIS latitude, longitude) especially specimens from Colorado and in other Rocky Mountain and Plains states.

Each taxon's specimen database can be searched from these links:




Tissues for DNA analyses:Ìýnone of our historical collections have tissues specifically preserved for DNA. Alcohol-preserved specimens in the fish and herp collections were formalin-fixed before preserved in alcohol; therefore would only be appropriate for molecular methods particular to formalin-preserved tissues. Legacy bird and mammal specimens also do not have tissues specifically preserved for DNA, but do include dried specimen skin, hair, and feathers. New collections (since 2007) by the Vertebrate curator for Rocky Mountain mammals (and some herps) have alcohol-preserved tissues, as well as recently prepared vertebrate specimens from all disciplines (birds, mammals, herps, and fish).

Please see ourÌýDestructive and Invasive Sampling PolicyÌýfor how to request specimen tissues.