Solar radiation is an important driver of animal coloration, not only because of the effects of coloration on body temperature but also because coloration may protect from the deleterious effects of UV radiation. Indeed, dark coloration may protect from UV, but may increase the risk of overheating. In addition, the effect of coloration on thermoregulation should change with egg size, as smaller eggs have higher surface?volume ratios and greater convective coefficients than larger eggs, so...

In ground-nesting birds egg colour and appearance may have evolved due to opposite selection pressures. Pigmentation and spottiness make the eggs darker and have been suggested to improve camouflage. However these eggs may reach higher temperatures, which may be lethal for embryos. Some authors suggested that this trade-off may not exist. In this study the occurrence of a trade-off between camouflage and overheating of eggs is tested.