1856 in birding and ornithology

Ongoing events

• John Gould The birds of Australia; Supplement 1851–69. 1 vol. 81 plates; Artists: J. Gould and H. C. Richter; Lithographer: H. C. Richter
• John Gould The birds of Asia; 1850-83 7 vols. 530 plates, Artists: J. Gould, H. C. Richter, W. Hart and J. Wolf; Lithographers:H. C. Richter and W. Hart

Years in birding and ornithology:	1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859
Centuries:	18th century · 19th century · 20th century
Decades:	1820s 1830s 1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s
Years:	1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859

Heavy-footed moa described by Richard Owen in 1856

• John Cassin publishes Illustrations of the Birds of California, Texas, Oregon, British, and Russian America.
• Léon Olphe-Galliard takes part in the second congress of Deutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft at Gothen in Germany, where he meets Prince Lucien Bonaparte, and other scientists.
• Johan August Wahlberg killed by a wounded elephant while exploring the headwaters of the Limpopo River.
• Birds described in 1856 include kea, Brewer's sparrow, western bronze-naped pigeon, yellow-spotted barbet, barred parakeet,
• In October the red-necked nightjar occurred in Britain.
• Marc Athanase Parfait Oeillet Des Murs publishes the ornithological section of Voyage autour du monde sur la frégate la Vénus in collaboration with Florent Prévost.
• Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen joins the Great Trigonometric Survey of India .
• Robert Swinhoe makes an "adventurous" visit to the camphor districts of Formosa