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- Title
Eggshell Thickness Variation in Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) from Spain.
- Authors
Castilla, Aurora M.; De Aragón, Juan Martínez; Herrel, Anthony; Møller, Søren
- Abstract
Eggshell thickness is commonly used as an indicator of habitat quality and effects of environmental pollution on avian reproduction. We present the first data available on eggshell thickness for Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) in Spain. We compared eggshell thickness between eggs collected in an agricultural area (wild eggs) and eggs from game farms (farm eggs). Wild eggs had shells significantly thicker (x¯ = 0.32 mm, n = 74) than farm eggs (x¯ = 0.28 mm, n = 89), despite game farm partridges being fed a diet rich in calcium and not exposed to agricultural pollutants. Eggshell thickness did not affect hatching success of wild partridges, and population decline observed in this species cannot be linked to reduction in egg viability due to eggshell thickness. Received 8 February 2008. Accepted 6 May 2008.
- Subjects
SPAIN; EGGSHELLS; RED-legged partridge; HABITATS; POLLUTION; BIRD reproduction; EGG incubation
- Publication
Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 2009, Vol 121, Issue 1, p167
- ISSN
1559-4491
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1676/08-024.1