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A 'clutch' of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by one bird or reptile at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest.

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Clutch size

References

Clutch size

Clutch size will differ greatly between types of birds. It may also differ within the same type of bird due to many factors including habitat, health, nutrition, predation pressures, and time of year.^[1] Depending on the ornithological procedures, the recorded clutch size may or may not count lost or broken eggs. Clutch size variation can also reflect variation in optimal reproduction effort. Long lived species tend to have smaller clutch sizes than short lived species. (See also r/K selection theory) The evolution of optimal clutch size is also driven by other factors such as Parent-offspring conflict.

References

1. Lack, D. 1947. The significance of clutch-size. I and II. Ibis 89:302-352.