Oology

Next to the oological collections of the National Museum and the Moravian Regional Museum, probably the largest collection of bird eggs in the Czech Republic.

The oological collection originates mainly from the territory of the Czech Republic, from free-nesting birds; only a small part from birds kept in zoos. A smaller collection of eggs from abroad was obtained during an expedition to Iceland (collections of Z. Klůz). The collection contains 12,600 bird eggs of 465 bird species.

Eggs were collected during research by museum staff until 1990, currently the additions are practically only rescue collections. Collections of F. Hejl (1970), Ing. Stružky (Zoo Lešná, 1976), Z. Klůze (1980), J. Toufar (1983) and E. Pohle (1984). In 1981, the Hranice Secondary Forestry School donated its collection to the museum. A number of eggs were obtained from MOS members as abandoned clutches, or they were unhatched eggs of important bird species.

The collection of bird clutches from Iceland is exceptional, as well as the largest collection of laughing gull eggs with many types of color and size.

The oological collection is stored in the building of the Ornithological Station. For the first time ever, a part of this collection is exhibited in the permanent exhibition Birds of the Czech Republic, the eggs of a total of 248 species are exhibited.

The collection is managed by RNDr. Josef Chytil, PhD.