Series III: Bureau of Biological Survey, 1895 - 1931

The earliest predecessor to the NWRC was established in 1885. The Office of Economic Ornithology was tasked with studying the food habits and migratory patterns of birds, especially those effecting agriculture. The office grew in responsibilities and went through several name changes before being renamed the Bureau of Biological Survey in 1905. In addition to studying birds and mammals, the Survey's responsibilities included managing the nation's first wildlife refuges, controlling predators, enforcing wildlife laws, and conserving dwindling populations of migratory birds. The Bureaus of Fisheries and Biological Survey were transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1939. In 1940, they were combined and named the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.