David Ocampo

David is a biologist with broad interests in the natural history, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary biology of birds. He earned his master’s degree from Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), where he investigated adaptive variation in eggshells. He has conducted fieldwork in Peru, Tanzania, and Colombia, and served as curator of the bird and egg collection at the Humboldt Institute. In his PhD, he is investigating the evolution of eggshells and nests using microscopy techniques and visual models. Additionally, he carries out expeditions in Colombia and Argentina to study tinamou eggs, and in Kenya, where he analyzes the microbiota of weaver colonies. His work involves collaborations with biological collections in museums such as the Humboldt Institute, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., and the Field Museum in Chicago.

The diversity of bird eggs and nests has always fascinated naturalists, birdwatchers, and scientists. Eggs come in various colors with signaling functions or protection against predators, and nests can be very simple or complex communal structures. Why are these layers so diverse, and how did they originate to ensure the successful reproduction of birds in different ecosystems? In this talk, we will discuss the diversity of bird eggs and nests, how they have evolved in nature, and the techniques I use in the field, museums, and the laboratory to study them.