Mykola Sharleman’s contribution to the study of bird diversity: an analysis of the collection of the National Museum of Natural History (Ukraine)

[Внесок Миколи Шарлеманя у вивчення різноманіття птахів: аналіз колекції Національного науково-природничого музею (Україна)]

Svitlana Tajkova, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9037-6471

Hanna Klochko, https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7387-8119

National Museum of Natural History, NAS of Ukraine (Kyiv, Ukraine)

Cite as

Tajkova, S., H. Klochko. 2025. Mykola Sharleman’s contribution to the study of bird diversity: an analysis of the collection of the National Museum of Natural History (Ukraine). GEO&BIO, 27: 91-100. [Ukrainian, with English summary]

doi: https://doi.org/10.53452/gb2707

pdf: gb2707_91-100-taj-fin.pdf

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the distinguished Ukrainian scientist Mykola Vasylovych Sharleman (1887–1970), who worked as a research associate at the Zoological Museum of the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences from 1921 to 1934 and held managerial positions at this institution in 1934(33)–1937 and 1941–1943. The long-standing scientific contributions of M. V. Sharleman provided the foundation for a collection that covers various regions of Ukraine and offers a valuable resource for analysing changes in the species composition and distribution of birds across Ukraine over the past century. A key milestone in this study was the discovery of the First Inventory Book of the collection from 1919, along with historical journals revised approximately in 1948–1949 that served as the collection’s catalogue. These unique documents proved to be vital in researching the history of acquisitions for the collections of the National Museum of Natural History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Between 1907 and 1939, as well as in 1943, M. V. Sharleman donated 538 bird skins to the museum, representing 130 species of 13 orders. The most abundant specimens represented the species Calidris alpina (51 specimens), Phylomachus pugnax (28), Motacilla flava (26), and Dendrocopos major (19). Additionally, rare bird species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine were also present in the collection, such as Asio flammeus (2), Anarhynchus alexandrinus (1), Charadrius hiaticula (8), Columba oenas (1), Dendrocopos leucotos (4), Falco naumanni (2), Glareola nordmanni (2), Haematopus ostralegus (1), Lanius excubitor (2), Limosa limosa (2), Milvus migrans (1), Monticola saxatilis (1), Numenius arquata (2), Recurvirostra avosetta (2), and Sternula albifrons (3). The primary objective of this work is to study and promote the unique ornithological collection of the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), which is the largest in Ukraine, encompassing over 40 000 specimens of 950 bird species. In addition to the scientific collection, which comprises bird skins (36 528 storage units) and egg clutches (2 998 units), there is also an impressive exhibition consisting of 1449 units. With its broad scale and scientific importance, this assemblage serves as a unique resource for biodiversity research. The ornithological collection holds not only scientific and cultural significance but also stands as a testament of dedication to the scientists whose meticulous work ensured its formation.

Key words

ornithological collections, M. V. Sharleman, National Museum of Natural History

Correspondence to

Dr. Svitlana Tajkova; National Museum of Natural History, NAS of Ukraine, 15 Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street, Kyiv, 01054 Ukraine; Email: tajkovaveta@gmail.com

Article info

Submitted: 24.03.2025. Revised: 19.06.2025. Accepted: 30.06.2025

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