Natural history museums in the 20th century showcased some of their most enchanting exhibits through bird dioramas. These re-creations of birds in their natural habitats combined scientific accuracy with multi-disciplinary artistic flair. Meticulously mounted bird specimens were set against panoramas of painted backgrounds and naturalistic foregrounds. The result was an immersive “window on nature,” captivating…
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 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.
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.
Reconstructing the size, shape, surface texture, and coloration of extinct Mesozoic bird eggs is challenging because actual egg specimens from Mesozoic birds are extremely rare. Paleontologists must rely on indirect, non-destructive methods to infer these characteristics for museum displays and scientific understanding. Here we outline key non-invasive methods and their applications, with examples from recent scientific literature.
