Catalog of the bird collection in the Belgrade Natural History Museum: The order Podicipediformes

The fund of the Belgrade Natural History Museum's ornithological collection has especially great scientific, museological, cultural, and historical importance. The order Podicipediformes was recently chosen for inventory work the results of which are reported here. A total of 57 specimens from three Museum collections and over 20 localities through-out Serbia was inventoried. The most inventory units were recorded in the collection of mounted bird specimens (38), the least in the historical collection (eight). The study collection of birds contains 11 specimens. It was determined that most specimens in the Museum are great crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus). The Museum has the fewest specimens of rednecked grebes (Podiceps grisegena) and no specimens of Slavonian grebe (Podiceps auritus) at all. Podiceps nigricollis and Tachybaptus ruficollis are represented by an approximately equal number of specimens. The paper shows that the collection of grebes in the Belgrade Natural History Museum represents an especially important source of information about the taxon Podicipediformes. It can also be considered a valuable part of our cultural and natural heritage.