Clutch (eggs)
Encyclopedia
A clutch of eggs
refers to all the eggs produced by birds or reptiles, often at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest
.
In birds, destruction of a clutch by predators, (or removal by humans, for example the California Condor
breeding program), results in double-clutching. The technique is used to double the production of a species eggs, in the California Condor case, specifically to increase population size. The act of putting one's hand in a nest to remove eggs is known as dipping the clutch.
, sometimes even within the same genus
. It may also differ within the same species
due to many factors including habitat
, health, nutrition, predation pressures, and time of year. Clutch size variation can also reflect variation in optimal reproduction effort. Long-lived species tend to have smaller clutch sizes than short-lived species (see also r/K selection theory
). The evolution of optimal clutch size is also driven by other factors, such as parent-offspring conflict
.
Clutch size recorded in ornithological
field notes may or may not include lost or broken eggs.
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
refers to all the eggs produced by birds or reptiles, often at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
.
In birds, destruction of a clutch by predators, (or removal by humans, for example the California Condor
California Condor
The California Condor is a New World vulture, the largest North American land bird. Currently, this condor inhabits only the Grand Canyon area, Zion National Park, and coastal mountains of central and southern California and northern Baja California...
breeding program), results in double-clutching. The technique is used to double the production of a species eggs, in the California Condor case, specifically to increase population size. The act of putting one's hand in a nest to remove eggs is known as dipping the clutch.
Size
Clutch size differs greatly between speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, sometimes even within the same genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. It may also differ within the same species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
due to many factors including habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
, health, nutrition, predation pressures, and time of year. Clutch size variation can also reflect variation in optimal reproduction effort. Long-lived species tend to have smaller clutch sizes than short-lived species (see also r/K selection theory
R/K selection theory
In ecology, r/K selection theory relates to the selection of combinations of traits in an organism that trade off between quantity or quality of offspring...
). The evolution of optimal clutch size is also driven by other factors, such as parent-offspring conflict
Parent-offspring conflict
Parent–offspring conflict is a term coined in 1974 by Robert Trivers. It is used to signify the evolutionary conflict arising from differences in optimal parental investment to an offspring from the standpoint of the parent and the offspring...
.
Clutch size recorded in ornithological
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
field notes may or may not include lost or broken eggs.