Egg collection reveals much about bird history
The vast egg collection of Ralph Handsaker, an Iowa farmer, is the starting point for Carrol Henderson's account of oology, or egg collecting, and its role in the origins of modern birdwatching and bird conservation in North America.
Photo courtesy of Carrol Henderson
A new book from a Minnesota-based wildlife specialist tells the story of bird history and conservation in North America. It's called "Oology and Ralph's Talking Eggs."
The author is Carrol Henderson, who works for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Henderson writes in the book about new discoveries that have come from researching a collection of about 4,000 bird eggs gathered by an Iowa farmer named Ralph Handsaker.
MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with author Carrol Henderson.
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