Researching an article about Great Horned Owls I found a paper published in 1938 in the Wilson Bulletin, an ornithological journal. It discussed nesting habits of this owl species. Much of the data in the report was gathered by persons collecting eggs. Collections of bird eggs, thankfully now illegal, once was an active hobby, known as oology. One egg might do, but entire clutches of eggs were preferred by some collectors, the assumption being that the birds would re-nest, no harm done. The journal article also offered information on how long the incubating bird would stay away if flushed off the nest. Someone would climb to the nest to flush the bird so this question could be answered. Many answers were gained by purposely disturbing the bird one way or another. It was in the name of research, I suppose, but behavior really unthinkable today.
Below, a Herring Gull, her nest and eggs. These eggs would have been easily collectable.
