The Best Colour-Coordinated Packaging

Herring gull egg shellby Library Twitcher

With all of the demolition going on in the library today (removal of glass wall panels, etc.), it might be nice to show you some of nature’s “demolition”…. The other week, Library Twitcher happened to be in the Open Access courtyard, chatting about the Herring Gull chicks with CC from Information Services. While chatting, what did LT spot near a shrub? A large chunk of Herring Gull eggshell!

Herring gull egg shell

Herring gull egg shell

LT was surprised at the size of the eggshell – it must have been about the size of a duck egg, maybe larger.

If you’ve never seen a duck egg, the next time you go food shopping, see if the store has any duck eggs for sale and take a gander….

The camouflage of the egg is astounding – an amazing design of evolution to hide the egg from predators. This type of camouflage is exactly what militaries around the world try and achieve for their forces in the field (as long as they don’t move – remember your games of Hide and Seek? Movement always gave you away, didn’t it?). Many wild bird eggs are multi-coloured for protection from predators. We’re just used to seeing nearly identically coloured eggs as sold in grocery stores. But even those eggs can sometimes have slight colour variations.

The next time you need inspiration for home décor colours, have a look at photos of Herring Gull eggs (or other bird species) – all the colours coordinate – wall paint, trim paint, and accent colours. Perfect!

PS – Never take eggs away from a nest. If you are worried about a nest, seek assistance from wildlife professionals (Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital,the RSPCA, or this directory) . Human egg thieves and egg collectors are partly responsible for serious declines in bird populations around the world as many species only have one clutch of eggs – only one chance to breed for an entire year. Disturbing a nest or taking eggs is immoral and a legal crime, punishable by prison sentences. If you want a real collecting challenge, look for the partially broken shells on the ground.

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