Bird Egg Physical and Color Traits from Field Experiments in China

Field experiments conducted in southwest and south China during the bird breeding seasons from March to August 2024 and 2025. The dataset contains measurements of egg mass, length, width, volume, and spectral reflectance for three bird species: grey bushchats, crested mynas, and white-shouldered starlings. It was created by Qiqi Liu and is licensed under CC-BY-4.0.

Use Cases

• Modeling trait-specific variation in egg color and size as a defense against parasitism based on the described egg physical characteristics.
• Analyzing the relationship between egg spectral reflectance (300–700 nm) and avian visual perception for camouflage or signaling.
• Studying the impact of environmental factors like karst topography and subtropical monsoon climate on avian reproductive traits.
• Comparing egg morphology and coloration across different bird species (grey bushchats, crested mynas, white-shouldered starlings) in distinct geographic regions.

Strengths

• Measurements include precise quantitative data (egg mass to 0.01 g, dimensions to 0.01 mm).
• Spectral reflectance data covers the avian-visible range (300–700 nm).
• Data collection spans two breeding seasons (2024 and 2025) and multiple field sites in China.
• Egg volume is calculated using a standard ornithological formula (Hoyt, 1979).

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the specific field sites in Guizhou and Hainan Provinces.

Provenance

Source

figshare

Collection Method

Field experiments using digital scales, calipers, and a fiber-optic spectrometer for in-situ and laboratory measurements.

Time Range

Bird breeding seasons from March to August 2024 and 2025.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-11 10:15:54; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Liuzhi, Liupanshui City, Guizhou Province, and Huangzhu, Ding’an County & Tanniu Town, Wenchang City, Hainan Province, China.