Sentences with phrase «bird egg shape»

Not exact matches

In these cases, the egg shape might have helped to accommodate offspring that are more mature when they hatch than those of birds.

There are many explanations for the variety of birds» egg shapes.

The researchers compared egg shape with lots of data about each bird species, but found no correlation with clutch size, environmental factors or nest characteristics.

«This is a remarkable study,» says Sonia Kleindorfer at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, because it shows how the sounds a bird hears in its egg can shape its development, even into adulthood.

preserved in an egg - shaped space, indicates that early birds were well - developed at birth.

Using methods and ideas from mathematics, physics and biology, they characterized the shape of eggs from about 1,400 species of birds and developed a model that explains how an egg's membrane determines its shape.

So an albatross and a hummingbird, while two very different birds, may have evolved similarly shaped eggs because both are high - powered fliers.

Thus, just as birds that spend most of their time airborne have evolved more streamlined bodies and lighter, small skeletons, they have also evolved streamlined egg shapes to fit through the pelvis, she says.

Evolutionary biologists have now addressed shape variety in terrestrial vertebrates» eggs, pinpointing morphological differences between the eggs of birds and those of their extinct relatives, the theropod dinosaurs.

The eggs of amniotes — mammals, reptiles and birds — come in a remarkable variety of shapes and sizes.

Using an evolutionary framework, the researchers found that the shape of an egg correlates with flight ability, suggesting that adaptations for flight may have been critical drivers of egg - shape variation in birds.

We showed that egg shapes vary smoothly across species, that it is determined by the membrane properties rather than the shell, and finally that there is a strong correlation linking birds that have eggs that are elliptical and asymmetric with a strong flight ability, the last a real surprise.»

Dr Deeming added: «From a biological perspective, it is self - evident that different egg shapes by birds, both past and present, might be associated with different nesting behaviours or incubation methods.

The only one a real bird couldn't easily generate: an egg shaped like a hot air balloon.

The results suggest that the early birds from the Mesozoic (252 to 66 million years» ago) laid eggs that had different shapes to those of modern birds.

«How the shape of eggs can help explain the evolutionary history of birds.»

When Stoddard and her colleagues made a family tree of 1000 bird species, they realized that each group of birds tended to have a characteristic egg shape.

This suggests that the range of egg shapes in modern birds had already been attained in the Cenozoic.»

The researchers looked at correlations between egg shape and traits associated with the species of bird, including nest type and location, clutch size (the number of eggs laid at a time), diet and flight ability.

By examining the eggs of 1,400 species (each species» average egg is represented on this scatterplot by a pale orange dot), researchers found that the shape of bird eggs is determined by two variables: ellipticity and asymmetry.

«Streamlining in birds is determined more by plumage than the shape of the body — high performing fliers can have rounded, bulky bodies» he says, which wouldn't give elongated eggs the same advantage over other egg shapes.

Perhaps cone - shaped eggs are less likely to roll out of the nest of cliff - dwelling birds; spherical eggs might be more resilient to damage in the nest.

The mystery of why birds» eggs come in so many shapes has long been up in the air.

In a new analysis, researchers look for links between egg shape and birds» traits and lifestyles.

Indeed, some orders of birds showed a much stronger link between flying and egg shape than others did.

The finding comes from the first large analysis of the way egg shape varies across bird species, from the almost perfectly spherical egg of the brown hawk owl to the raindrop - shaped egg of the least sandpiper.

And while other factors — like where birds lay their eggs and how many they lay at once — weren't significantly related to egg shape across birds as a whole, they could be important within certain branches of the bird family tree.

The monsters you face are just as detailed and varied as the tools you use to hunt them, with a variety of creatures of all shapes and sizes resembling real - world reptiles and birds of prey and tons of unique fantasy beasts that keep things very interesting such as the Kulu - Ya - Ku, a bird / wyvern hybrid that hops around with stolen eggs, or the Anjanath, a dinosaur - inspired monster immensely aggressive towards both hunters and other species.

Taking control of a yellow, egg - shaped bird, it's your job to figure out how to get from point A to point B using nothing but your singing voice and your ability to stomp the ground with your tail feather.

The monsters you face are just as detailed and varied as the tools you use to hunt them, with a variety of creatures of all shapes and sizes resembling real - world reptiles and birds of prey and tons of unique fantasy beasts that keep things very interesting such as the Kulu - Ya - Ku, a bird / wyvern hybrid that hops around with stolen eggs, or the Anjanath, a dinosaur - inspired monster immensely aggressive towards both hunters and other species.

Others are more demonstrative, with eggs, doors, sky, windows, body parts, signs, mirrors, birds, clocks, floating shapes and rubbish all capture our imagination along with their written descriptions.

Mirrors, shaped like scrambled eggs, punctuate the walls, while oblong, egg - shaped chairs — with portions scooped out for sitters — are embroidered with such patterns as rainbow - hued interlocking hearts, stars, and bird's - eye weaves.