A call for the preservation of images, recordings, and other data in association with avian genetic samples, and the introduction of a solution: OMBIRDS

Abstract

Much current and historical research in ornithology employs catch-and-release methods, resulting in a variety of data and materials from birds for which whole-body specimens have not been collected. Often, a genetic specimen (e.g., blood or feathers) is collected along with "media specimens" such as images and/or sound recordings, providing a rich source of research material as well as an opportunity to use each type of specimen as a source of validation of the other. Despite the abundance of these datasets and their potential use in future research, the preservation of such data and associated materials is currently a task that each researcher must confront individually, which results in the loss of these research materials over time. To promote the long-term utility of information collected from the thousands of birds that are captured and released each year, we present a protocol and database template (OMBIRDS; the Online Museum of Bird Images, Recordings, and DNA Samples) for organizing and preserving images, recordings, and data associated with genetic samples. This protocol can be used by individual researchers and institutions to organize their own collections, and it also facilitates submission of records to international data repositories such as VertNet. By contributing OMBIRDS to the research community as a free database tool that can be downloaded and adapted by researchers and institutions, we hope to encourage the collection of media along with genetic samples and to facilitate the archiving of these materials for their use in future research.