Explore our Egg Collection

The Western Australian Museum is home to a large egg collection that has been put together over many years by the Museum's Curator of Ornithology, Ron Johnstone, and others. 

The egg plates in this gallery are from the Museum's collection and were photographed by Douglas Elford for the Handbook of Western Australian Birds - Volume I

Egg Plates

Plate 1:

1.     Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae from Jerramungup, WA.

2.     Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae from Yalgoo, WA.

3.     Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata from Dalwallinu, WA.

4.     Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata from Dalwallinu, WA

5.     Orange-legged Scrubfowl Megapodius reinwardt from Iron Range, Qld.

Plate 4:

1.     Brolga Grus rubicunda near Wyndham, WA.

2.     Brolga Grus rubicunda from Ayr, Qld.

3.     Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae from Wickham Island, WA.

4.     Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata near Wyndham, WA.

5.     Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus from South Alligator River, NT.

6.     Australian Bustard Otis australis from Wyndham, WA.

7.     Australian Bustard Otis australis from Billabong, WA.

8.     Australian Bustard Otis australis from Hamersley Range, WA.

Plate 8:

1.     Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana from Hinchinbrook Island, Qld.

2.     White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica from Toolibin Lake, WA.

3.     Pied Heron Ardea picata from South Alligator River, NT.

4.     White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae from Herdsman Lake, WA.

5.     Eastern Reef Heron Ardea sacra from Yardie Creek, WA.

6.     Striated Heron Butorides striatus from Exmouth, WA.

7.     Great Egret Ardea alba from Toolibin Lake, WA.

8.     Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia from Yanga, NSW.

9.     Little Egret Ardea garzetta from Yanga, NSW.

10. Cattle Egret Ardea Ibis from Gillett’s Range, Clarence River, NSW.

11. Rufous Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus from South Perth, WA.

12. Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus from Narrikup, WA.

13. Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis from Emerald Springs, NT.

14. Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus from Forrestdale, WA.

Plate 10:

1.     Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus from Moora, WA.

2.     Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus from Wickepin, WA.

3.     Pacific Baza Aviceda subcristata from Hayes Creek, NT.

4.     Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus from Marree, SA.

5.     Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus from Coonabilla, Qld.

6.     Australian Kestral Falco cenchroides from Minilya, WA.

7.     Australian Kestral Falco cenchroides from Minilya, WA.

Plate 14:

1.     Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax from Yalgoo, WA.

2.     Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax from Yalgoo, WA.

3.     White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster from Pelican Island (Houtman Abrolhos), WA.

4.     Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax from Rawlinna, WA.

5.     Osprey Pandion haliaetus from Pelsaert Island, WA.

6.     Osprey Pandion haliaetus from West Wallabi Island, WA.

7.     Osprey Pandion haliaetus from Pelsaert Island, WA.

8.     Osprey Pandion haliaetus from Pelsaert Island, WA.

Plate 16:

1.     Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippenis from Albany, WA.

2.     Lewin’s Rail Rallus pectoralis from Pyengana, Tas.

3.     Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla from Bremer Bay, WA.

4.     Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla from Bremer Bay, WA.

5.     Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla from Kulikup, WA.

6.     Australian Spotted Crake Porzana fluminea from Bremer Bay, WA.

7.     Australian Spotted Crake Porzana fluminea from Bremer Bay, WA.

8.     Spotless Crake Porzana tabuenis from Bremer Bay, WA.

9.     White-browed Crake Porzana cinera from Kununurra, WA.

Plate 19:

1.     Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis from Wilmington, SA.

2.     Comb-crested Jacana Metopidius gallinaceus from Lake Argyle, WA.

3.     Australian Praticole Stiltia isabella near Sandfire, WA.

4.     Australian Praticole Stiltia isabella near Sandfire, WA.

5.     Hooded Plover Charadrius rubricollis from Yallingup Beach, WA.

6.     Inland Dotterel Peltohyas australis from Mt Madden, WA.

7.     Red-kneed Dotterel Erythrogonys cinctus from Wagga Wagga, WA.

8.     Black-fronted Dotterel Charadrius melanops from Midland, WA.

9.     Black-fronted Dotterel Charadrius melanops from Thundelarra, WA.

10. Black-fronted Dotterel Charadrius melanops from Cuthbert, WA.

11. Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus from Bush Bay, WA.

12. Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus from Wickepin, WA.

13. Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus from Lake Walyungup, WA.

Plate 20:

1.     Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor from Canning Vale, WA.

2.     Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles miles from Roebuck Plains, WA.

3.     Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus from Lake Marmion, WA.

4.     Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus from Lake Marmion, WA.

5.     Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus from Wownaminya Lake, WA.

6.     Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae from Wubin, WA.

Plate 21:

1.     Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus from Mistaken Island, WA.

2.     Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris from West Wallabi Island, WA.

3.     Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius from Kellerberrin, WA.

4.     Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius from Wickepin, WA.

5.     Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius from Kulin, WA.

6.     Beach Stone-curlew Esacus neglectus from Weld Island, WA.

7.     Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus from Rottnest Island, WA.

8.     Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus from Rottnest Island, WA.

Plate 23:

1.     Common Noddy Anous stolidus from Pelsaert Island, WA.

2.     Common Noddy Anous stolidus from Pelsaert Island, WA.

3.     Lesser Noddy Anous tenuirostris from Pelsaert Island, WA.

4.     Lesser Noddy Anous tenuirostris from Pelsaert Island, WA.

5.     Black Noddy Anous minutus from Lady Musgrave Island, Qld.

6.     Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata from Pelsaert Island, WA.

7.     Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata from Pelsaert Island, WA.

8.     Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata from Pelsaert Island, WA.

9.     Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus from North Cervantes Island, WA.

10. Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus from Seal Island (Shoalwater Bay), WA.

11. Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii from Green Island (West Coast), WA.

12. Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii from Green Island (West Coast), WA.

13. Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii from Green Island (West Coast), WA.

14. Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii from Green Island (West Coast), WA.

15. Fairy Tern Sterna nereis from Lake Walyungup, WA.

16. Fairy Tern Sterna nereis from Lake Walyungup, WA.

17. Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica from Lake Anneen, WA.

18. Whiskered Tern Sterna hybrida from Lake Anneen, WA.

19. Whiskered Tern Sterna hybrida from Lake Anneen, WA.