If you were asked to describe an egg, a plain white egg laid by a hen, lizard, or even a snake would probably first come to mind. But just as the animal kingdom is incredibly diverse, so is the color of their eggs. Some animals lay beautiful green, brown or even pink eggs. Considered one of the top attractions are the blue eggs that the birds lay.
Why do birds lay blue eggs? Well, blue thanks to biliverdin. Biliverdin is a bile pigment that gives birds eggs their blue color. The shade of blue in the eggshell depends on the concentration of biliverdin. Sometimes the color can range from greenish blue to light blue, and everything in between. Here are 15 birds that lay blue eggs.
1. Dunnox
Dunnocks are small brown and gray birds with short black stripes on their feathers. Native to parts of Eurasia, they are currently inhabiting countries in Europe and North Africa, including the United Kingdom, Lebanon, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Croatia, and Bulgaria. Also known as “hedge sparrows,” they are not particularly outgoing and are known to be shy and quiet.
Female wallabies lay a clutch of four to five shiny blue eggs. Their eggs rarely have any spots and are bright blue in color. Dunnock eggs are tiny, only about 0.6 inches across. The female platypus incubates the eggs for 12 to 13 days.
2. House sparrow
House finches are brown birds with gray wings and a conical beak. Adult male house finches usually have red feathers around the face and upper breast. They are native to western North America and can be found throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
House finches lay four to five eggs from spring to summer. Their eggs are bluish-green in color and may sometimes have light lavender or black markings. House finch eggs are very small, only half an inch across. They are incubated for 13 to 14 days.
3. Red-winged blackbird
Red-winged blackbirds are common in North America except in desert, arctic, and alpine regions. They are migratory birds found in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica. As their name suggests, male red-winged blackbirds are black with red and yellow patches on their broad shoulders. Women are not as colorful. They are dark brown with lighter breasts.
Red-winged blackbirds typically lay two to four oval, bluish-green eggs per clutch. Their eggs have black or brown markings that are 0.9 to 1.1 inches wide. The eggs hatch for 11 to 13 days.
4. American Robin
The American robin can be found all over the United States. Some migrate to South America to breed, while others prefer to breed where they are. Robins have dark gray wings and an orange breast.
American robins lay three to five light blue eggs per clutch. These eggs are 0.8 inches wide. If the eggs are bright enough, male robins tend to be more fatherly and take on more parental responsibilities. American robins incubate their eggs for 12 to 14 days.
5. Black titanium
Black-pigmented birds are stocky, land-dwelling birds. Despite their name, this bird is actually slate gray rather than black. Females are larger than males. They are native to the Andes region of South America and can also be found in Colombia.
The black tinamous build their nests on the ground. They lay shiny, bright blue eggs from March to November. Only two eggs are officially recorded as black tinamou.
Blue-footed boobies are one of the most popular birds around. This is due to their characteristic blue, webbed feet, the result of carotenoid pigments obtained from their diet of fresh fish. Males use their bright blue feet to attract mates. Blue-footed boobies are found in coastal areas of Central and South America, such as Mexico and Peru.
Blue-footed booby eggs are light blue and nest on the ground. They lay two to three eggs per clutch, which take about 45 days to hatch. Both male and female boobies incubate their eggs on their feet.
7. Blue Jays
Bluejays are showy perching birds native to eastern North America, with a range of the United States and Canada. They are mostly blue with a white head and off-white belly. Their white heads are speckled with black.
Bluebirds lay 2 to 7 eggs per clutch. Eggs are usually blue but can be other colors such as yellow or green, and they always have brown spots. Bluebirds lay their eggs in nests in trees 10 to 25 feet high.
8. Starlings
Starlings are beautiful birds that can be misleading at first glance. This is because some of them look black, but on closer inspection, their plumage is actually iridescent. They are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Pacific islands of countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, New Zealand and Spain. They are considered an invasive species.
Starlings lay blue, white and green eggs. They also prefer to nest in man-made structures. They are very social animals and can live in flocks of up to a million birds.
9. Starlings
Starlings are native to Asia and are considered an invasive species in India. Their heads are black and their bodies are brown with two yellow patches on their faces. Their beaks and legs are also yellow. They imitate birds and can learn up to 100 words.
The common mynah lays four to six turquoise or blue-green eggs. The eggs hatch for 17 to 18 days.
10.Thrush
Thrushes are a family of perching birds. They are plump, small to medium-sized birds. Thrushes typically live in woodland areas, and most species nest in tree branches. Most thrushes have gray or brown plumage with speckled undersides.
Thrush eggs are pale blue or turquoise with small black spots, usually at the larger end of the egg. This color and pattern varies by thrush species. Some species have no spots on their eggs. Thrushes lay about two to six eggs, sometimes even two, in at least one clutch each year.
11. Cardinals
Cardinals are slender birds with brown, white and gray plumage. Males have red head spots and red breasts, while females and juveniles do not. Cardinals are distributed in countries such as Scotland, China, Italy and Greece.
Cardinals lay 4 to 6 speckled blue eggs from April to July. The eggs hatch for 14 days.
12. Gray Catbird
Gray catbirds are named for their distinctive meow, which actually sounds like a cat’s meow. They are located in North and Central America, which happens to be the United States, Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean islands.
Gray catbirds lay bright turquoise green eggs with red spots. They lay one to six eggs, usually twice per season. These eggs are about half an inch wide and an inch long. The birds incubate their eggs for 12 to 15 days.
13. Blackbird
Also known as the Eurasian blackbird, this bird has a round head and pointed tail and is a type of thrush. Males are black with yellow rings around the eyes and a bright orange-yellow beak, while females are dark brown with a dull tawny beak.
Blackbirds lay three to five small eggs. Their eggs are blue-green with brown spots. Both parents incubate the eggs for 13 to 14 days. The blackbirds use the same nest to lay their eggs during the breeding season from August to February each year.
14. Bluebird
Native to North America, bluebirds have bright blue plumage, sometimes paired with rose beige. Females are not as brightly colored as males.
Bluebirds lay 2 to 8 eggs per clutch. Their eggs are usually powder blue without any spots and are 0.6 to 0.9 inches wide. However, sometimes bluebirds lay white eggs, but this only happens about 4% to 5% of the time. Depending on the bluebird species, hatching can take anywhere from 11 to 17 days.
15. Egret
Snowy herons are small egrets. They are pure white with black legs, black beak and yellow feet. They can be found in countries such as the United States, Canada, the West Indies, and Argentina.
Snowy herons lay two to six blue-green eggs that are 0.9 to 1.3 inches wide and 1.6 to 1.7 inches long. They incubate the eggs for 24 to 25 days before hatching.
summarize
| type of bird | egg color | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dunnox | shiny blue eggs |
| 2 | house sparrow | Pale teal with black/lavender flecks |
| 3 | red winged blackbird | Light blue-green eggs with black/brown spots |
| 4 | american robin | light blue |
| 5 | black titanium | shiny, bright blue |
| 6 | blue footed boobies | light blue |
| 7 | blue bird | blue with brown spots |
| 8 | starling | blue, white and green |
| 9 | starling | turquoise or teal |
| 10 | thrush | light blue or turquoise with spots |
| 11 | cardinal | spotted blue eggs |
| 12 | gray cat bird | turquoise green with red flecks |
| 13 | black bird | blue green with brown spots |
| 14 | blue bird | powder blue |
| 15 | egret | blue-green |
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
