Egg: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:48, 15 May 2006

Revision as of 17:30, 15 May 2006

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Eggs of almost all owl species are typically pure white.

However, a more recent study suggests that the markings on the eggs acutally act to reduce brittlness. Speckling of the eggs increases inversly to the amount of calcium available in the soil, and the protoporyhyrin pigment acts as a solid state lubricator. This allows a thinner shell to be made with less calcium, as the lubricator reduces the brittlness of the shell thus compensating for the thinner calcium crystal layer. In reallityreality, the speckles of eggs provide extremely poor camoflague, summed up affectionatlyaffectionately by anornithologist OxfordAndrew Gosler of the University professorof Oxford who claimed "eventhat "a blind weasel could find them."! {{fact}}(see References §)

In species such as the [[Common Guillemot]], which nest in large groups, each female's eggs have very different markings, making it easier for females to identify their own egg.

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==References==

*[http://www.lifesciences.napier.ac.uk/teaching/MB/Fish02.html Marine Biology notes] from School of Life Sciences, Napier University.

*[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1011_051011_speckled_eggs.html Speckles Make Bird Eggs Stronger, Study Finds] John Pickrell, National Geographic News, 11 Oct 2005.

==See also==