Stresemann was an ornithologist of extensive breadth who compiled one of the first and most comprehensive accounts of avian biology of its time as part of the Handbuch der Zoologie (Handbook of Zoology).

He influenced numerous ornithologists around him and oversaw the development of ornithology in Germany as editor of the Journal für Ornithologie.

He published a monograph on the Paulohi language based on studies made during his ornithological expedition to the Indonesian island.

When he joined the Vitzthum Gymnasium, the teacher of mathematics and biology, Dr. Otto Koepert, gave Erwin the job of organizing the school's collection of American and African birds.

They travelled into central Seram and during this time Stresemann took a great deal of interest in the native Alfurians.

Stresemann's studies were interrupted by the First World War and he was conscripted, serving initially in an artillery unit on the Western Front.

In 1914, the editor of the series, Willy Kükenthal (1861–1922), offered the task to him after others like Anton Reichenow (1847–1941), Valentin Haecker (1864–1927) and Oskar Heinroth (1871–1945) refused to take it up as they were preoccupied.

His position as a 24-year old zoology student in comparison to the others was remarkable and Jurgen Haffer notes that this work acted as a springboard for his future career.

[6][7] In 1920 he succeeded Anton Reichenow (in his seventies) as curator of ornithology at the Zoological Museum in Berlin, a position he stayed in until his retirement in 1961.

During the war years from 1941, he ensured that the 40,000 bird skins and rare books were safely stored in an underground locker.

The Frank M. Chapman Memorial Fund allowed him to examine bird collections around the world to study moult.

[9] In the 1960s and 70s he and his wife were provided special permissions to pass through the Berlin wall at any time to visit the Zoological Museum.

[10][2] When the Natural History Museum in London established their ornithology collections at Tring in July 1972, Stresemann and his wife were special invitees at the inauguration.

[11] Stresemann was one of the outstanding ornithologists of the 20th century but is often not recognized outside Germany because most of his works were written in German and ignored due to the wartime rivalries.

He encouraged a number of young German scientists, including his most famous student Ernst Mayr and Bernhard Rensch.

[12] Stresemann's influence in ornithology was through his work Aves, the editorship of the Journal für Ornithologie, the leadership of the DO-G and through mentoring students.

As editor, he moved away from the traditional emphasis on faunistics and collections to a preference for articles dealing with the anatomy, physiology, life-history studies and the behaviour of birds.

His German pride was always tempered by his meticulousness and when surprise was expressed after turkey frescoes were found in the Schleswig Cathedral during restoration Stresemann carefully examined the evidence to see if indeed the pictures were made in the 13th century.

He was cremated and according to his wishes the ashes were interred into the grave of Ernst Hartert in the Waldfriedhof (forest cemetery) at Dahlem.

There is no evidence that he was a member of the NSDAP; however, when Stresemann visited the bird collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia in January 1936, he was questioned by a newspaper reporter about Hitler’s imperialist agenda and its vision of Aryan supremacy.

The Hitler Government preaches the idea of the emergence of a race of tall, fair, blue-eyed men and women which we shall believe to be superior, racially, economically and artistically ...