Fig 2. Nest material and experimental treatments effect on mesophilic bacterial load.

Statistically significant relationships between loads of mesophilic bacteria of starling eggshells at day 3 in relation to number of unpigmented feathers in 2012 (A) and date of sampling in 2013 (B). The relationships between eggshell mesophilic bacterial load at day 12 (± 95% CI) in relation to feather treatment in 2013 (C), unpigmented feathers at day 12 in 2012 (D), pigmented feathers at day 12 in 2012 (E), unpigmented feathers at day 3 in 2013 (F) and pigmented feathers at day 12 in 2013 (G) are also shown.