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Why Are Birds' Eggs Of Different Colors & Patterns?
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Birds are such beautiful creatures, with two
wonderful qualities - the ability to sing and fly
(with exceptions). There are thousands of species in the world and
each has been created with such care and perfection. Different birds
live in different climates, different regions on earth and learning
about each one is a long process. One thing that
ornithologists (scientists who study birds) have found is
that different birds lay eggs of different colors.
Eggs can come in white, blue, green, yellow or red brown
and furthermore, they have a specific pattern of spots,
streaks or blotches. Even you might have noticed this - but
why and how does this happen? |
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The reason is
not very clear, but one of the explanations is that the
different color and pattern help in protecting the
eggs. There is always fear that the eggs might be
eaten or destroyed by snails, other birds, snakes, squirrels
etc. while the mother and father bird are out looking for
food. Camouflaging the eggs, help keep them safe.
Nature
is so ingenious to have created such a wonderful
safety device for these birds. For example
the spine lays her eggs in a hollow around
coarse meadows. The eggs tend to be spotted with large
markings covering the surface, which resemble the
grass surrounding them. This helps them to go
unnoticed. The second |
Bird Eggs of Different Colors and
Patterns |
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type, the tern lays her
eggs among beach pebbles. Amazing as it may seem, the
eggs turn out to look speckled and shaped just like
pebbles, so that they can easily mingle. Those birds
that make their home in hollow trees or in burrows generally
lay eggs with a white or light colored shell. Being hidden
from the outside, these eggs remain safe. These are just a few
examples of how nature has provided birds with protective
coloring. |
Another protective
method adopted by the birds, especially the cuckoo, is to
place their own eggs in another bird's nest! This may sound
strange, but the mother bird makes sure that her egg looks similar
to the other eggs, then she removes one of the eggs from the nest
and replaces it with her own egg. Scientists have been able to prove
this activity. It is actually quite an ingenious plan and
shows how protective and loving the mother birds are!
Everything in nature is very intriguing - What may seem unusual,
like different birds laying different colored eggs, is in reality,
just an accurate plan of Mother Nature. So the next
time you get to visit some birds' nests, make sure you study the
eggs closely and find similarities with the surroundings. |
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