The Book of Eggs

“This big book is the equivalent of a guided tour through the Bird Division of Chicago’s Field Museum. It presents the eggs of six hundred species in color and at actual size and includes surprises, such as the immense egg of the long-gone Great Elephantbird, the tallest and heaviest bird ever to walk the planet. . . . An excellent introduction explains egg anatomy, physiology, size, shape, coloring, nests, and breeding strategies.” * Birdwatching *
"A fabulous reference book, every image in lovely color—one image of the egg actual size and one of the egg larger, for detail—with sketches of the birds and maps showing territory. It’s fascinating to leaf through, and affirming: On every page, it’s spring!" * Minneapolis Star Tribune *
“Oology gets a boost this week. . . . The Book of Eggs is a beautiful doorstopper of a guide to the eggs of six hundred bird species.” * WBUR, the Animalist *
“Stunning. . . . Sometimes we are oblivious to miraculous objects in our daily lives. [The Book of Eggs] prompts us to see eggs in a new light.” * Guardian *
“Who cares whether the chicken or the egg came first? The egg is far more interesting—at least in author Mark Hauber’s hands. . . . Hauber drew on the Field Museum’s collection of 23,000 sets of bird eggs to write The Book of Eggs, an illustrated field guide that explores the avian birthing process. . . . Eggs produced by the gray-hooded Sierra-finch, yellow-billed loon, and glossy ibis are among the treasures featured.” * Chicago Tribune, Printers Row *
“Boiled, coddled, fried, scrambled, or poached, our usual interaction with eggs is as a consumer: the inside is to be eaten. Once broken, the shell is lobbed in the bin and forgotten. Except that this is probably not what you are going to do after reading The Book of Eggs. Newly enlightened on egg biology and physiology, you may find yourself pointing out that the dimple in the broad end of an egg is where the air sac lay. Or perhaps you will be motivated to look at an egg shell through a lens, the better to see the tiny pores that allow air in while keeping water and toxins out—or even pause before eating your fried egg to dissect the yolk in search of its seven layers.” * New Scientist *
“A welcome reference in an ornithology lab and a good reference for other audiences interested in bird eggs.” * Choice *
“Unlike most mammals, birds lay eggs, a curious and wildly successful reproductive strategy that has fascinated humans for millennia. Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History maintains one of the world’s largest collections of bird eggs, and this new guidebook offers a detailed (and life-sized) look at six hundred of them, from the eggs of the common house sparrow to the elegant crested tinamou.” * Orion *
“A lovely addition to a bird enthusiast’s bookshelf or any actively browsed coffee table.” * Wilson Journal of Ornithology *
“Hauber has collected images of the eggs of six hundred of the world’s bird species and presents them in life size and full color with supporting illustrations and text in a manner that is both fascinating as well as informative. . . . The wonders of the amazing variety of shapes, sizes, colors, peculiarities, evolutionary adaptations, and all the other elements that for so long held so many naturalists in thrall to bird eggs will begin to make their charms understood—without, of course, any risk to the bird populations themselves.” * Bird Watcher's Digest *