The Centre for Ornithology is now the proud owner of over 2,000 bird eggs, recently received from The Natural History Museum, Tring. The initial project in which this collection will feature is overseen by Phill Cassey. The collection contains multiple specimens of the eggs of nearly every British breeding bird, ranging from common garden birds such as blue tits and starlings, to rare birds such as bitterns, ospreys and avocets. A few other particularly interesting eggs from around the world are also included in the collection. Various measurements will be taken from the eggshells including thickness, UV reflectance, permeability, pigment concentration and distribution of maculation. Particular attention will be paid to how these factors interact with one another. These eggshell measurements will be linked with life history data for each species, such as nest site, nest type and whether the male or the female does most of the incubating. The combined data will then be used to try and explain how and why eggshells have evolved such a rich diversity of colour, appearance, and biomineral architecture.
