Bird Term: Oology

May 24, 2019 in Bird Terms with 1 comments

Oology is the study of bird eggs. It also refers to the study of bird nests and breeding behavior. Oology can also refer to the hobby of egg collecting, which is illegal in many locations.

Early scientific ornithological study often involved collecting birds by shooting them to study their anatomy and plumage up close. It also involved the collection and study of their eggs. Scientists studying the difference between samples of Pergrine Falcon eggs over time were able to identify DDT usage as the cause of a decline in raptor populations in the 1960s and 1970s.

Egg collecting as a hobby remained popular as the scientific value of this type of study declined. This was extremely popular especially in the United Kingdom, though the hobby was denounced by the British Ornithologists' Union as early as 1922. Although UK laws have made the amateur hobby collection of eggs illegal since 1954, oologists continue to pursue the hobby by collecting eggs. Egg collecting is illegal in many other jurisdictions as well, including the United States.

Bird egg illustrations by Biodiversity Heritage Library (CC BY 2.0)

Blue eggs in robin next — Robin nest with eggs by gardener41 (CC BY-SA 2.0)

House Finch eggs — House Finch nest with eggs by John Flannery (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Mallard nest with eggs by Jeremy Halls (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Comments

Vibrators on May 30, 2019 at 2:02 PM wrote:

The Eurasian tree sparrow's untidy nest is built in a natural cavity, a hole in a building or the large nest of a European magpie or white stork. The typical clutch is five or six eggs which hatch in under two weeks. This sparrow feeds mainly on seeds, but invertebrates are also consumed, particularly during the breeding season. As with other small birds, infection by parasites and diseases, and predation by birds of prey take their toll, and the typical life span is about two years.

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.

Your name (required)

Your email address (required)

Your email address will not be published

Comment (required)

I agree to receive updates and news from Birdorable

You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

2022 Bonanza Bird #7

A Closer Look at the African Firefinch: Sub-Saharan Africa's Finchy Jewel

December 11, 2022

Today, we're delighted to introduce a new addition to our collection: the African Firefinch, a species of finch that boasts a widespread presence across the diverse habitats of sub-Saharan Africa. This charming bird is a wonderful example of the rich avian...

10 Red-winged Blackbird Facts

March 6, 2014

Red-winged Blackbirds range across much of North America, from parts of Alaska and the Northwest Territories of Canada, down through Mexico and into parts of Central America. Though a good portion of the population remains resident year-round, throughout northern parts of their range, they...

2013 Bonanza Bird #19: King Bird-of-paradise

July 19, 2013

We're adding one new bird each day until we reach our 500th Birdorable species on the last day of July. Today's Bonanza bird is the King Bird-of-paradise. The King Bird-of-paradise is the smallest of the bird-of-paradise family. It lives in Papau New Guinea...

2024 Birdorable Bonanza Bird #6

Meet the Pacific Gull: Coastal Australia’s Big Iconic Seabird

November 23, 2024

Today's new species joins our family of Birdorable gulls! It's the hunky, chunky Pacific Gull! The Pacific Gull is a large and striking seabird native to the southern coasts of Australia. Known for its impressive size, bold markings, and strong, heavy beak, this gull is a charismatic...

Birdorable Blog