Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology

Owl or Nothing: Learning 300 Birds in 10 Weeks

I was a plant girl. As an undergraduate student at UC Davis, I’ve spent my summers restoring wetlands with native plants, summiting peaks to study alpine cushion plants, and dissecting seeds in labs. Animals were never in the picture, and birds were no exception. So when I kept seeing “Bird ID skills needed” on botany position advertisements, I knew my plant-only class days were over.  

Climate Change Presents a Mismatch for Songbirds’ Breeding Season

Spring is the sweet spot for breeding songbirds in California’s Central Valley – not too hot, not too wet. But climate change models indicate the region will experience more rainfall during the breeding season, and days of extreme heat are expected to increase. Both changes threaten the reproductive success of songbirds, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. 

Little creek, big impact

Twice as many birds at Putah Creek after water restored

A small restored area is having a big impact on regional birds, fish and animals, according to a study published in the journal Ecological Restoration by the University of California, Davis.

Condors land at UC Davis

Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology acquires six California condor specimens

Not many undergraduates get to handle a prehistoric bird, but UC Davis student Lynette Williams is up to her elbows in a California condor.

Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology

The Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology houses one of the most significant, modern collections of birds, mammals, and fish in California.  With over 60,000 specimens the MWFB is among the top ten collections in California, and the third largest university-managed collection in the state. The specimens housed in the MWFB serve a unique role in California; in addition to traditional uses, they are used for graduate and undergraduate training, species identification workshops, and educational programs by federal, state, and local agency biologists.