News Paleontology

Eggs evolved color and speckles only once — during the age of dinosaurs

Analysis of pigmentation in the eggs of modern birds and nonavian dinosaurs suggests similarities

a photo of a large gray fossilized egg along with modern day eggs of different hues

MOTTLED CREW  Colorful eggshells were a trait shared not only by ancient and modern birds, but also by their theropod dinosaur ancestors (as seen in the large fossilized egg at right). 

J. Wiemann/Yale Univ.

By Carolyn Gramling

- More than 2 years ago

The colorful, speckled eggs of modern birds are an innovation inherited from their nonavian dinosaur ancestors.