When scientists describe new species, it’s common practice to keep the acquired specimens in a scientific collection. These specimens then form the blueprint for the species and serve as a reference for scientists to fall back when they determine relationships, or describe new species.
The most important blueprint, the holotype, serves as a model for the entire species. The scientific name connected to this species cannot be re-used to describe other species. So: even if a species is based on a fake bird, the name still lives on. And that’s why these fake birds are still kept in the type collection of Naturalis.
