As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Sunday 7 July 2013

Guillemot eggs are self-cleaning

By Victoria Gill, Science reporter, BBC News, Valencia, Spain

Guillemot eggs have special structures on their shells that make them self-cleaning, according to new research.

The study began after scientists noticed the liquid-repelling properties of a batch of eggs that had water spilled onto them.

Further analysis revealed tiny cone-shaped structures on the eggs' shells were responsible for this property.

The findings were presented at the Society for Experimental Biology conference in Valencia, Spain.

Dr Steven Portugal from the Royal Veterinary College in London who conducted the research told BBC Nature that the project started with a "minor spillage" in the lab.

"I accidentally spilled distilled water over a batch of eggs," Dr Portugal recalled.

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