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Early Easter Eggs

on 7th April 2011

“One would think that the Easter Bunny has decided to come early this year, judging by the pale blue eggs that show up on my lawn. These are about the size of quail eggs and are laid directly on the grass, with no evidence whatsoever of any nest-building attempts. They are also unattended. I leave them undisturbed, and usually, after a day or two, rats, squirrels or other birds will break them and consume the contents.

“My wife assumed that since the eggs were blue, they could have been laid by kingfishers, which are common here. But we know that there is no relationship between the colour of the bird and the colour of its eggs. If there was, my pet lories and lorikeets would lay multicoloured eggs that would put most commercial Easter eggs to shame.

“I have ruled out the pigeons and doves that come frequently and that narrows the field of suspects to – the White Breasted Waterhen, the Common Myna and the Javan Myna.

“I believe that the last two are the most likely. Mynas of the genus Acridotheres (to which the above species belong) are known to lay bluish or greenish eggs.

“Those that I find in my garden are probably infertile. Some well-fed female birds do ovulate regularly, with or without males present – and the wild-bird feeding stations that I have set up supply food constantly. If eggs are infertile, female birds have been known to just drop them anywhere, and pay no further attention.

“That’s my assumption. Would anyone like to add more information to my observations?”

Lee Chiu San
Singapore
4th April 2011

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

2 Responses

  1. Dear Chiu San,

    Are there any trees right above your lawn? What is the size of the egg? If not mistaken, munias also produced bluish eggs, so is the Little Heron that produced a bluish but larger egg. I think kingfisher lays white eggs, since they were hole nesters, they dont need to select a colour that is less obviously seen from far. The egg shell colors are also from a long adaptation process and did not just pick a random color usually. Thanks.

  2. Dear Jing Yi,

    There are no trees above that part of the lawn where the eggs are often found. They are about the size of domestic quail eggs, too big to be laid by munias. I used to see little herons in my old house, which was next to a canal, but have never seen any near the small, ornamental fish ponds at my present place.

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