Abstract

This study sought to increase understanding of the size and composition of eggs from two subspecies of houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii and C. u. undulata). Eggs from the rufous-crested bustard (Eupodotis ruficrista) and kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) were also examined for comparison. Infertile eggs were collected from captive birds; egg mass and linear dimensions were recorded, and egg component masses were determined wet and dry. Significant differences were observed in the composition of the eggs from the two houbara subspecies. Despite being smaller in size, eggs from the macqueenii subspecies had a relatively larger yolk (and relatively less albumen) than eggs from the undulata subspecies. The relative composition of the rufous-crested and kori bustard eggs showed patterns similar to that of the undulata eggs. For the houbara bustards, changes in initial egg mass (IEM) were associated with changes in egg length more than egg breadth, and changes in egg length and breadth appeared to be due more to increases in albumen mass than to increases in yolk mass.