Egg structural characteristics of Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus)

This study was carried out to determine egg morphology characteristics and component of Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus) in Iraq. Freshly Pygmy Cormorant eggs without developed embryo were collected from Al- Tarmiya lakes north of Baghdad city to determined egg morphology characteristics including egg shape dimensions: weight, volume, specific gravity, shell, yolk, albumin weight as well as percentage of shell, yolk and albumin. Results revealed that average values egg breadth, length, shape index, weight, volume, specific gravity, shell weight, yolk weight, albumin weight, egg shell percentage, egg yolk percentage and egg albumin percentage were: 3.11±0.45 (cm), 4.59±0.24 (cm), 67.75±1.07, 12.77±0.55 (gm), 22.64±0.74 (cm3 3 ), 0.56±0.1 (gm/cm ), 0.87±0.15 (gm), 2.76±0.27 (gm), 9.15±0.59 (gm), 6.80±0.25 (%), 21.58±0.55 (%) and 71.62±2.32 (%) respectively. This report provides important information that can help the avian taxonomists in species classification.