Just a comparison!

Another egg arrived for me today by my garage so I couldn't resist putting it up as a comparison. This large white (half) egg-shell is from a Woodpigeon and emphasises the difference in size with that of the Barn Swallow. The Woodpigeon is about 40 cms in size and the Barn Swallow is under half that size but even so that tiny, fragile egg has produced a little bird which will have to be cared for by those ever attentive parents. It must put on sufficient weight to enable it to migrate to S. Africa within a few weeks of fledging. It will follow its parents route sometime after they have left. How can it know where to go? That is one of the mysteries of migration! Even more amazing, some of them will be back here next April to start another generation.