“I think that if required on pain of death to name instantly the most perfect thing in the universe, I should risk my fate on a bird’s egg” - Thomas Wentworth Higginson, 1862.

How are eggs of different shapes made and why do they have the shape they do? When does an eggshell harden? Why do some eggs contain two yolks? How are the colors and patterns of an eggshell created and why do they vary? And which end of an egg is laid first - the blunt or the sharp?

These are some of the questions answered by the book “A Bird’s Egg,” as the journey of a bird's egg from creation and fertilization to final hatching is examined, with current scientific knowledge placed within a historical framework. Starting with an examination of the striking eggs of the guillemot, each of which is so variable in design and color that none is ever the same, acclaimed ornithologist Tim Birkhead discusses the eggs of chickens, cuckoos, and many other birds, revealing strange and wonderful facts about these marvels of nature.

Weaving around these facts are amazing stories about individuals who, from ancient Egypt, have been absorbed in the study and collection of eggs, not always to the benefit of their conservation, “A Bird’s Egg” is an enlightening and engaging exploration of the science behind eggs and the history of human obsession with them.

Pages: 304, Year of Publication: 0601, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm