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by Mark Peck
Bird eggs come in all different colors, sizes and shapes. They're found in vastly different locations, too -- from clifftops to ground nests and everywhere in between.
In Bird Eggs: A Young Naturalist's Guide, ornithologist Mark Peck takes young readers on an exploration of bird eggs in all their variety. The book starts off with everything you need to know about eggs, from what they are, to how they're made, to what predators eat them. The following chapters cover key topics about bird eggs -- shape, size, color and location -- and feature beautiful full-page photos with captions and inset images. Here are just some of the birds and their eggs that you'll learn about:
Great Horned Owl eggs are nearly spherical, while Common Murre eggs are among the most asymmetrical and elliptical. Why would this be? Several scientists have concluded that a bird's flight ability affects the shape of its egg.
Ostrich eggs are huge, on average weighing over three pounds and measuring up to 6 inches long and five inches wide. Their size is surpassed by the now-extinct Elephant Bird's eggs, which measure about 12 inches long and 8 inches wide.
The book is capped with a chapter on conservation and protection, with information on how kids can help by being a citizen scientist, monitoring backyard nests and building nest boxes.