1871 in birding and ornithology

• Birds described in 1871 include Asian ostrich, Père David's snowfinch, Biak lorikeet, Mongolian ground jay, Forest wood hoopoe, Numfor paradise kingfisher, Spot-breasted parrotbill

• Death of Paolo Savi and Niels Kjærbølling
• Théophile Rudolphe Studer becomes curator of zoological collections at the Natural History Museum of Bern

• Richard Bowdler Sharpe Catalogue of African Birds in the Collection of R.B. Sharpe. London: Self published. 1871.
• Henry Eeles Dresser and Richard Bowdler Sharpe A History of the Birds of Europe, Including all the Species Inhabiting the Western Palearctic Region.Taylor & Francis of Fleet Street, London
• Frederick Hutton, 1871 Catalogue of the Birds of New Zealand, with Diagnoses of the Species

Ongoing events

• Theodor von Heuglin Ornithologie von Nordost-Afrika (Ornithology of Northeast Africa) (Cassel, 1869–1875)
• 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
• The Ibis