Smithsonian Institution Archives

Records, circa 1961-1973, with data from 1923

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU0245
Creators:
National Museum of Natural History. Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program
Dates:
circa 1961-1973, with data from 1923
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
122.58 cu. ft. (234 document boxes) (1 half document box) (1 16x20 box) (5 3x5 boxes) (4 5x8 boxes) (14 oversize folders) (20 microfilm reels)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These records document the administration, field work, and research activities of the Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program, especially its bird banding, island survey, and pelagic survey programs. Included are reports, correspondence, field records, office records, contracts, data, notes, manuscripts, maps, and photographs. The records also contain material from earlier field activities in the Pacific that was collected by the POBSP.
Many of the materials in this collection have been digitized.

(Electronic Resource)

View Digitized Materials.

Historical Note

Historical Note
The Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program (POBSP) was initiated in 1962 when the Smithsonian Institution entered into a grant agreement with the Department of Defense. From January 1963 through June 1969 Smithsonian Institution employees undertook biological surveys in an area of the Pacific Ocean spanning the equator and extending from latitude 30 degrees north to 10 degrees south and from longitude 150 degrees east to 180 degrees west, an area dotted with clusters of islands and atolls. The major goals of the program were to learn what plants and animals occurred on the islands, the seasonal variations in their numbers and reproductive activities, and the distribution and population of the pelagic birds of that area. Emphasis was placed on the banding of birds in an effort to determine migration, distribution, and abundance of pelagic sea birds. During the six and a half years of field work 1,800,000 birds were banded; approximately 150,000 observations of pelagic birds at sea were made; and biological surveys of varying intensity were made on several islands.
The principal investigator of the POBSP was Philip S. Humphrey (1926-2009), who came to the Smithsonian Institution in 1962 as curator of birds. In 1964 Humphrey became chairman of the newly created Department of Vertebrate Zoology, while retaining his position as curator of birds. In 1967 he left the Smithsonian to become director of the Museum of Natural History and chairman of the Department of Zoology at the University of Kansas. He remained principal investigator of the Survey and retained his connection with the Smithsonian as a research associate.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Digital Content


Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 245, National Museum of Natural History. Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program, Records
Access Restriction
Record unit partially microfilmed.

More Information

Notes

SI Records


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Humphrey, Philip S. (Philip Strong), 1926-2009 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Army Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Department of Defense Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of Natural History (U.S.). Department of Vertebrate Zoology Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
University of Kansas Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bird banding Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Natural history museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ornithology Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ornithologists Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Biology -- Fieldwork Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bird surveys Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Islands of the Pacific Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Maps Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Black-and-white photographs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
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