According to a recent study by researchers at the University of London, bird eggshells act as sunscreen for baby birds as they incubate. Different kinds of bird eggs have various levels of protection, which correlate with the pigment, or color of the eggshell, and the nest environment.
According to a recent study by a group of international researchers including the University of London, eggshells act as a sunscreen for bird embryos as they incubate.
Different kinds of bird eggs have various levels of protection, which correlate with the pigment, or color of the eggshell, and the nest environment.
Doctor Steven Portugal from the University of London who worked on the study is quoted as saying: "Birds whose nests are exposed to the sun and birds which have long incubation periods too, have more pigment and allow less light to go through the shell to avoid UV damage to embryos."
For the study, researchers analyzed eggs from 74 different British bird species, particularly focusing on the color, and thickness of the various shells.
Wild bird eggshells range in color from white to blue, or spotted.
Eggs that are blue colored have more of the pigment called biliverdin, and spots are created by a dark pigment called protoporphyrin.
The white shells allow for the most light to permeate, and birds with a longer incubation period had shells that were both the darker and thicker.
Eggshell coloration can also works as camouflage to protect the eggs from being eaten by predators.
