The section cares for over 187,000 specimens of birds, and a database over 206,000 records which include exchanged specimens and other specimens no longer in the collection. The most important of these are the 519 holotypes and 40 syntypes. We also care for approximately 196 extinct birds as well as specimens of many rare species collected decades if not more than a century ago. The collection on whole is ranked roughly ninth in the United States.

The Carnegie Collection has over 154,000 study skins, almost 16,000 skeletons of which over 5650 have an accompanying spread wing prepared, many with tails, over 10,000 egg sets, 6760 fluid specimens, 440 flat skins and about 1250 taxidermy mounts.