Composition of Eggs of Several Bird Species

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents the lipid, nonlipid dry matter, and water contents of the eggs of the Starling, Coturnix Quail, Mourning Dove, Laughing Gull, and Mallard and compares the data with published accounts of the eggs of other species. The lipid level of the yolk and the percentage of yolk in the egg increase in direct relation to the precocity of the young at hatching. The high lipid content of the eggs of precocial species is related primarily to their long incubation periods, resulting in a larger total metabolic requirement than for the embryos of altricial species. The high water levels of the eggs of altricial species are a direct consequence of the high water levels of the chicks at hatching.