Zella M. Schultz papers, 1915-1982

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Schultz, Zella M. (Zella McMannama), 1920-1974
Title
Zella M. Schultz papers
Dates
1915-1982 (inclusive)
Quantity
3.38 cubic feet (4 boxes and 1 oversize folder)
Collection Number
5075
Summary
Documents and related materials of a Washingon State painter who made a specialty of depicting birds.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Zella McMannama Schultz (1920-1974) was a field ornithologist in Washington State. She grew up in Everson, Washington and graduated from Western Washington College in 1946 before becoming a teacher on Lopez Island. She received her master's degree in Zoology from the University of Washington in 1953. Schultz was an Audubon Field Notes regional editor in the 1950s and was the first state coordinator of the Breeding Bird Survey, an avian monitoring program to track the status and trends of bird populations in North America. Her pioneer work in bird paintings were used as illustrations for a number of books including "Familiar Birds of the Northwest" by Harry B. Nehls and "Washington Birds" by Earl Larrison. In 1953, she was commissioned to make 72 oil paintings of various birds; the resulting slides were used extensively in public schools.

Schultz's expertise was in gull plumage and she wrote extensively on the Glaucous-winged Gull, studying a colony of these birds on Protection Island and making detailed observations of their daily life. Along with Eleanor Stopps, Schultz participated in bird-banding expeditions to track the Gulls. Protection Island is located in the Strait of Juan de Fuca north of Discovery Bay in northeastern Jefferson County, Washington. This island has been recognized by biologists for its importance as a wild-bird nesting colony. There were threats to the island's birds during Schultz's lifetime with various real estate and development plans.

Schultz died in 1974 due to complications from a childhood disease and Stopps vowed to continue her conservation work. The same month Schultz died, the Nature Conservancy bought the western end of the island and re-sold it to the Washington State Game Department. This 48-acre area was named The Zella M. Schultz Seabird Sanctuary and is the state's first non-game sanctuary. With the help of Stopps efforts including lobbying, letter writing, and gathering support from a large, diverse constituency, Protection Island was made a National Wildlife Refuge in 1982.

Sources: Washington Ornithological Society newsletter, Port Townsend Marine Science Center Octopress newsletter, Port Townsend Marine Science Center website, Western Reports newsletter from Western Washington University

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Sketches of birds, birding notebooks from trips in Washington State, Drafts, notes, photographs, diagrams, articles, specimen data, correspondence, feather references, and other ephemera related to Schultz's work on the Glaucous-winged Gull.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 2 accessions.

  • Accession No. 5075-001, Zella M. Schultz papers, circa 1950s?
  • Accession No. 5075-002, Zella M. Schultz papers, 1915-2008

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 5075-001: Zella M. Schultz papers, circa 1950s?Return to Top

1 cubic foot (1 box)

Scope and Content: Sketches of birds, birding notebooks from trips in Washington State.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Thais Bock, 8/12/1997

Accession No. 5075-002: Zella M. Schultz papers, 1915-1982Return to Top

2.38 cubic feet; 3 boxes and one oversize folder

Scope and Content: Drafts, notes, photographs, diagrams, articles, specimen data, correspondence, feather references, and other ephemera related to Zella M. Schultz's work on the Glaucous-winged Gull.

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.

Restrictions on Use: Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Jennie W. Sheldon on January 29, 2019. Dr. Francis Wood, friend and adviser, was given the papers upon Schultz's death. Dr. Wood's daughter - Jennie Sheldon - donated them after 40 years.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 5075-002
Notebook with miscellaneous drawings and notes on birds
1958-1969
1/2 5075-002
Notebook with reference lists for bill patterns, primary color and pattern, and tail patterns
undated
1/3 5075-002
Notebook with records on plumage study of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Book III)
1960-1966
1/4 5075-002
Notebook with seagull notes and records, correspondence
1940-1954
1/5 5075-002
Notebook with notes on and photographs of captive birds
1949-1963
1/6 5075-002
Notebook with records on variation study of Glaucous-winged Gulls
1930-1960
1/7 5075-002
Notebook with miscellaneous records and drawings of birds
1949-1962
1/8 5075-002
Notebook on molt and plumage patterns
1957-1968
1/9 5075-002
Notebook on molt and plumage patterns
1957-1968
1/10 5075-002
Notebook on miscellaneous patterns in birds
undated
1/11 5075-002
Notebook with records of individual birds
undated
1/12 5075-002
Two undescribed photographs of birds
1957
1/13 5075-002
Miscellaneous bird records, notes, photographs
1958-1967
1/14 5075-002
Notebook with miscellaneous records, notes, drawings of birds
1948-1958
Box
3 5075-002
Feather references
undated
Box/Folder
1/15 5075-002
Miscellaneous letters and notes on bird banding
1961-1965
1/16 5075-002
Miscellaneous notes, correspondence, articles, Gull banding instructions, maps, certificates related to Francis Wood
1967-1982
1/17 5075-002
Gull banding reports and articles
1967-1974
1/18 5075-002
Miscellaneous articles, list of people articles were sent to, correspondence
1978-1979
1/19 5075-002
Miscellaneous articles, correspondence, notes, banding certificates, proposals, plans
1963-1980
1/20 5075-002
Miscellaneous articles, correspondence, plans, maps, Protection Island Beach Club agenda, environmental assessment related to Gull banding
1967-1981
2/1 5075-002
Miscellaneous articles, newsletters, publications
1958-1966
2/2 5075-002
Primary patterns and colors notes, drawings
undated
2/3 5075-002
Gull notes, diagrams, publication
undated
2/4 5075-002
Notes and drawings related to pterylosis and molt in Gulls
1958
2/5 5075-002
Notes related to plumage cycle of Gulls
undated
2/6 5075-002
Drafts on Gull molt
undated
2/7 5075-002
Handwritten draft on plumage cycle of Gulls
undated
2/8 5075-002
First rough draft of tables of contents and tables for unidentified manuscript on Gull pterylosis, molt, and plumage cycle
undated
2/9 5075-002
George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary brochure
undated
2/10 5075-002
"Growth in the Glaucous-winged Gull" articles
1951-1952
2/11 5075-002
Receipt of consignment of owl notes and song sparrow notes to Whatcom Museum shop
1971
2/12 5075-002
Notebook with notes and drafts on bird molts
undated
2/13 5075-002
Notebook with drafts on plumage cycle of Gulls, miscellaneous lists/table of contents(?)
undated
2/14 5075-002
Notebook with drafts on Gull molt
undated
2/15 5075-002
Notebook with notes tracking individual Gull molts
undated
2/16 5075-002
Notebook with observations of banded Gulls
1959
2/17 5075-002
Notebook with observations of plumage
1959-1960
2/18 5075-002
Notebook with plumage observations
1960
2/19 5075-002
Notebook with plumage observations
1960
2/20 5075-002
Notebook with plumage observations
1960-1961
2/21 5075-002
Notebook with plumage observations
1961-1962
2/22 5075-002
Notebook with plumage observations
1962-1963
2/23 5075-002
Notebook with plumage observations
1963
2/24 5075-002
Notebook with Glaucous-winged Gull specimen data
undated
2/25 5075-002
Notebook with Gull observations and data
1962-1963
2/26 5075-002
Notebook on bill patterns of individual Gulls
1959-1963
2/27 5075-002
Negatives of Gull drawings
undated
2/28 5075-002
Handwritten drafts, notes, analysis on Gulls
undated
2/29 5075-002
"The Annual Reproductive Cycle of the California Gull" publication by David Johnston with handwritten notes
1956
2/30 5075-002
Miscellaneous articles and publications on Gull banding and Gull chicks
1967-1969
2/31 5075-002
Miscellaneous observations, notes, drafts, data, articles on Gulls
1963-1965
2/32 5075-002
Notebook with drafts on gull plumage
undated
2/33 5075-002
Miscellaneous publications, notes, diagrams, reports, observations, data, graphs
1963-1974
2/34 5075-002
Miscellaneous drafts, notes, diagrams
undated
2/35 5075-002
Miscellaneous publications with handwritten notes
1915-1966
2/36 5075-002
Miscellaneous diagrams, observations, notes, data, drafts
1963-1966
2/37 5075-002
Band readings, data, observations, diagrams with notes for individual Gulls
1962-1972
2/38 5075-002
Band readings, data, observations, diagrams with notes for individual Gulls
1962-1973
2/39 5075-002
Notebook with specimen data of Gulls
undated
2/40 5075-002
Photographs of Gulls with notes on plumage and identification
1951-1952
2/41 5075-002
Photographs and diagrams of plumage
undated
2/42 5075-002
Miscellaneous notes and observations on plumage
1959
2/43 5075-002
Unidentified mountain photograph
undated
folder:oversize
Oversize Folder 5075-002
Miscellaneous oversized Gull drawings and diagrams
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Conservationists--Washington (State)--Archives
  • Glaucous-winged gull--History--Sources
  • Glaucous-winged gull--Research
  • Ornithologists--Washington (State)--Archives
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Political activists--Washington (State)--Archives

Personal Names

  • Schultz, Zella M. (Zella McMannama), 1920-1974--Archives

Geographical Names

  • Protection Island (Wash.)--History--Sources
  • Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge (Wash.)--History--Sources