Every morning before play begins on the manicured lawns of Wimbledon, long before crowds begin to gather or cameras begin to roll, a figure takes to the skies. With dark chocolate wings, russet shoulders, and piercing eyes, Rufus the Harris’s Hawk performs his silent vigil over Centre Court. He is not here to entertain. He…
The roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a unique wading bird famous for its bright pink feathers and spatula-shaped bill. It is one of only six spoonbill species in the world and the only one found in the Americas (Hancock and Kushlan 1984). With a partly bald, reddish head and a large flat bill, this bird…
This article explores the remarkable story of New Zealand’s extinct moa through its giant but fragile eggs. From the famous Kaikōura egg buried alongside a Māori skeleton to scattered fragments in caves and middens, moa eggs reveal a world of careful nesting, male incubation, and deep cultural significance. With low reproductive rates and no defences against introduced species, moas vanished within centuries of human arrival. Today, their eggs stand as poignant symbols of lost abundance and the fragility of island life.
Great Auk eggs hold immense scientific and cultural value. Physically, they are striking objects; large, boldly patterned shells that once nurtured the last generation of an extinct bird. Historically, each surviving egg carries a rich provenance, often involving famous naturalists and illustrious collectors. These eggs have been treasured, traded, copied, and even occasionally lost through accidents of history. In this article, we capture a snapshot of our current knowledge of these poignant relics.
Birds’ eggs exhibit a surprisingly narrow palette of natural pigments, yet they produce a stunning variety of colors and patterns. Nearly all the hues seen on bird eggshells come from just two pigments. Here is an exploration of the science behind the pigments of bird eggs and the artist-grade colors that best match them, complete with examples and mixing tips.
The story of the elephant bird’s egg weaves together biology and paleontology, myth and history, and cutting-edge science. It is a tale that spans continents and centuries, from ancient Indian Ocean legends of giant birds, to modern museum displays and DNA laboratories. Here is the tale of an egg as big as a basketball, holding secrets of the past.
The egg of the Dodo remains one of the most enigmatic and least documented aspects of this extinct bird’s biology. In this article we compile available evidence from historical texts, museum records, and scientific studies to reconstruct the most accurate portrait possible of the dodo’s egg and its role in the bird’s life history.
Sea turtles, from the petite hawksbill to the mighty leatherback, all begin their lives as eggs buried beneath warm beach sands. Despite variations among species, they share common reproductive traits. This article explores the fascinating biology of sea turtle eggs; their form, how and where they are laid, how they incubate, and the perilous journey of hatching with examples from loggerhead, green, leatherback, and hawksbill turtles, among others.
Recent discovery of embryonic tyrannosaurid remains has shed light on the possible characteristics of Tyrannosaurus Rex eggs. In this article we will explore this and other scientific evidence to arrive at a reconstruction of a T. rex egg.
Enter the curious world of the monotremes. We’ll explore their ancient origins, meet the modern platypus and echidnas, and learn how these mammals form and care for their eggs. We’ll discover what their eggs are like, from size and structure to incubation, and peek into the nesting burrows and pouches where devoted mothers tend their fragile, hatchling young.
