Bird Eggs

A young ornithologist’s exploration of birds’ eggs in all their variety, with an emphasis on conservation and protection and how kids can become community scientists.

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Bird eggs come in all different colours, sizes and shapes. They’re found in vastly different locations, too — from clifftops to ground nests and everywhere in between.

In Bird Eggs: A Young Naturalist’s Guide, ornithologist Mark Peck takes young readers on an exploration of bird eggs in all their variety. The book starts off with everything you need to know about eggs, from what they are, to how they’re made, to what predators eat them. The following chapters cover key topics about bird eggs — shape, size, colour and location — and feature beautiful full-page photos with captions and inset images.

Here are just some of the birds and their eggs that you’ll learn about: Great Horned Owl eggs are nearly spherical, while Common Murre eggs are among the most asymmetrical and elliptical. Why would this be? Several scientists have concluded that a bird’s flight ability affects the shape of its egg; Ostrich eggs are huge, on average weighing over 1.4 Kg and measuring up to 2.4 cm long and 2 cm wide. Their size is surpassed by the now-extinct Elephant Bird’s eggs, which measure about 5 cm long and 3 cm wide; Killdeer eggs, which are buff with brown markings, are laid on the ground out in the open. The colour and pattern of the eggs help them blend into their surroundings.

The book is capped with a chapter on conservation and protection, with information on how kids can help by being a citizen scientist, monitoring backyard nests and building nest boxes.

Bird Eggs is sure to enthral and inspire the next generation of young ornithologists and bird lovers with its informative text and beautiful photos.