Types of Birds that Lay Eggs!

As we all know that birds are known for laying eggs, and there are many different species that do so. From tiny egg laying birds like hummingbirds to large flightless birds like ostriches, there is a wide range of egg-laying birds.

Some common examples are chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and quails. Birds of prey such as eagles and hawks also lay eggs, as do waterfowl such as swans and herons. Even some songbirds and parrots lay eggs, making the diversity of egg-laying birds quite impressive.

Birds That Lay Eggs Called?

All birds that lay eggs are called oviparous birds. Oviparity is a method of reproduction in which eggs are laid and hatch outside of the mother’s body.

This is in contrast to viviparity, in which the offspring develop and are born live, and ovoviviparity, in which the eggs are retained inside the mother’s body until they hatch.

Most birds are oviparous and lay eggs, but there are a few exceptions, such as the echidna and the platypus, which are mammals but lay eggs like birds do.

Oviparous Animals

Birds that lay eggs are called oviparous birds. Here are some examples of oviparous birds include chickens, ducks, and geese. These birds lay eggs that are fertilized by a male and incubated by the female until they hatch. Other birds, such as penguins and ostriches, are also oviparous and lay eggs.

Birds are some of the most fascinating & amazing creatures. They have a wide range of colors, sizes, and shapes and their eggs color and sizes also vary.

We are familiar with the traditional eggs laid by domestic chickens or hen, but did you know there are many different species of birds that also lay eggs?
In this article, we will be covering the various types of birds that can be found laying eggs. Many bird species have adapted to lay eggs as part of their reproductive process. let’s discuss the most common and widespread species.

Let’s take a closer look!

Animal	Average Clutch Size	Incubation Period	Nest Location	Egg Color
Owls	1-11	30 days	Hollow trees or natural features	Varies
Pigeons & Doves	2	14-17 days	High places such as cliffs or ledges	White
Parrots	2-6	24 days	Tree cavities or cliff crevices	White or light brown
Ducks & Geese	5-13 (ducks)<br>3-7 (geese)	Varies	Tall grasses near water	Cream (ducks)<br>Pale blue (geese)
Eagles	1-3	35 days	Near rivers or coastlines	Brownish-white
Hummingbirds	1-2	14-18 days	Small cups made of plant material	White
Falcons	2-5	29-32 days	Cliff faces or tree cavities	Pale blue or white
Ostrich	1-3	42-46 days	Scraped out areas on the ground	Cream or pale blue
Seagulls	2-4	21-28 days	On the ground or in trees	Light blue or green
Pelican	1-3	29-32 days	On the ground or in trees	White or light blue
Swan	3-8	35 days	On the ground or in trees	Cream or pale blue

Birds That Lay Eggs:

Owls:

Owls are one of the most iconic egg-laying birds. Owls usually lay anywhere from 1 to 11 eggs at once and the eggs hatch after about 30 days.

They can be found all around the world in both temperate and tropical climates. The type of owl varies based on its habitat – from small barn owls to huge snowy owls!

Owls are one of the most well-known nocturnal birds, hunting mainly at night and spending most days resting in a secluded spot or nest made out of leaves and twigs tucked into hollow trees or other natural features.

Pigeons & Doves:

Pigeons and doves belong to the same bird family but there are slight differences between them; pigeons are usually larger than doves, although both birds coo as part of their courtship ritual which helps bring pairs together for mating purposes.

They will build their nest using straws, grasses, leaves and other small pieces that form into cup shapes used for laying eggs (usually 2). The parents will take turns incubating them for around 14-17 days until they hatch.

Pigeons are a common sight in cities, but many people don’t know that these birds also lay eggs! Pigeon pairs mate for life and will build nests in high places like cliffs or ledges. On average, they lay two white eggs that take up to 17 days to hatch. Once hatched, young pigeons take up to 4 weeks before they’re able to fly!

These small, stocky birds often make their nests in manmade structures such as bridges or tall buildings. Pigeons usually lay two white eggs per clutch and can produce up to five clutches per year.

Parrots:

Parrots come in an array of beautiful colors and sounds, which makes them highly popular pets! While parrots typically live longer than other birds (some up to 80 years!), their lifespan is drastically reduced if bred in captivity.

Female parrots will lay 2-6 white eggs every other day and can take up to 24 days before they hatch.

They typically build their nests in tree cavities or crevices on cliffsides. Many parrot species will use nesting boxes when these natural structures aren’t available. Parrots typically lay 3-5 eggs at a time depending on the size of the bird and can take several weeks to incubate them properly before they hatch.

These colorful, vocal birds come from a variety of climates around the world from tropical jungles to wooded forests. They produce roundish-shaped white or light brown eggs which can measure up to 2 inches long. The mother parrot will typically incubate her clutch for about 24 days before hatching occurs.

Ducks and Geese:

Ducks and geese are some of the most well-known egg-layers in the world. They have an uncanny ability to fly away with their nests when they sense danger and typically build their nests in tall grasses near ponds or other bodies of water.

Ducks and geese lay large white eggs which make them ideal for use in a variety of culinary dishes.

These waterfowls come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and shapes! They generally prefer areas with lakes or rivers as their primary source of food comes from aquatic plants and insects living within these waters.

Ducks usually lay 5-13 cream colored eggs each time and will usually stay close by for several weeks until their babies have matured enough to fend for themselves.

Geese are another type of waterfowl commonly seen throughout the world. They prefer wetlands or lakes with plenty of vegetation but can sometimes be found on dry land as well.

Geese usually nest in large groups known as gaggles and they can produce anywhere from 3-7 pale blue eggs at a time.

Eagles:

Usually found soaring through the sky in search for prey, eagles are one of the strongest predators on land. Eagle pairs will nest near rivers or coastlines as they mainly feed on fish and smaller animals like rabbits or snakes.

Females tend to lay 1-3 brownish-white colored eggs which take roughly 35 days before hatching into fully mature chicks ready to spread their wings!

Hummingbirds:

Though tiny compared to other birds, hummingbirds are quite efficient when it comes to laying eggs! Females tend to use spider webs or downy plant fibers in order to create their nests – adding bits here and there until its deemed complete by her own standards! Typically, hummingbirds will only lay 2 white/light blue speckled eggs per season.

Hummingbirds are tiny feathered friends found across North America who drink nectar from flowers for sustenance instead of seeds like other songbirds do – so much so that they require regular refills throughout the day!

Female hummingbirds create delicate cup shaped nests with cobwebs mixed with plant down materials to keep it sturdy yet light enough for easy movement as they zip around feeding themselves while maintaining their nests between meals (laying 2-3 eggs).

Not only are these small yet mighty creatures known for their speedy wings, but they’re also capable egg layers! Hummingbird’s tiny pale blue eggs measure approximately 1/2 inch long making them one of the smallest among all bird species! The mother hummingbird will incubate her little egg anywhere between 10 – 20 days before hatching begins.

Game Birds:

Game birds consist of various species of grouse, partridge, pheasant, quail, and guinea fowl. These birds tend to live in woodlands or open country areas and forage for food such as insects, seeds, or berries.

Game birds also tend to lay fairly large numbers of eggs per season – typically 5 to 20 – which can range from light green or blue shades all the way through shades of brown or even darker hues such as black or maroon.

Waterfowl:

Waterfowl include ducks, geese, swans, and other birds that are associated with water. They typically live in wetlands and other areas near bodies of water. All waterfowl lay eggs; however, the size and color of their eggs vary depending on the species.

The female duck usually lays up to twelve white or greenish-white eggs that are often incubated by both parents. Geese usually lay 4 to 8 eggs at a time that range from olive to cream in color.

These birds live around or near water sources and build their nests close to the shore. They typically make their nests out of sticks and grasses or create them in mudbanks. They lay anywhere from 5-15 eggs depending on the species.

Grouse:

Grouse are members of the gamebird family and live in areas with thick brushy undergrowth for protection from predators.

The male grouse performs an elaborate mating dance during breeding season as part of his courtship rituals. The female then lays an average of 10 eggs per nest.

Wading Birds:

One type of bird that lays eggs is the wading bird. These include herons, storks, ibises, spoonbills, egrets, and bitterns. Wading birds generally lay 2-6 bluish or greenish white eggs in nests built near water. Many species are colonial nesters who nest close together in groups.

Some notable species that are members of this family include the American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), Great Egret (Ardea alba) and White Ibis (Eudocimus albus).

Perching Birds:

Another kind of bird that lays eggs is the perching bird, also known as songbirds. These include flycatchers, swallows, finches, cardinals, and warblers. Perching birds usually lay 2-4 whitish eggs in tree cavities or small cups made from twigs or grasses.

Notable species from this family include the Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) and Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum).

Large Sea Birds:

Large sea birds also lay eggs; these include albatrosses, petrels, terns, skuas and gulls. Sea birds often lay just 1-2 olive colored eggs in simple scrapes or shallow depressions lined with grass or seaweed.

Notable species from this family include the Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), Leach’s Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) and Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus).

Ostriches:

The largest living bird in the world is the ostrich. Ostriches are large flightless birds that can reach heights up to 9 feet tall. While they may not be able to fly away with their nest, ostriches are another popular egg-laying species that inhabit Africa and the Middle East.

Ostriches are one of the largest species of birds in existence today and can reach sizes as large as nine feet tall and weigh up to 300 pounds! They produce large white eggs that weigh up to two pounds each.

Penguins:

Another flightless bird group consists of penguins. Penguins usually inhabit cold climates but can be found almost everywhere else as well – even inside colder sections of grocery stores during winter holidays!

Penguins lay a single white egg each year; however, Emperor penguins are known to occasionally produce two if resources allow for it. Incubation period for penguin eggs can take anywhere between 37–45 days before hatching takes place (depending on the species).

Although penguins do not have wings like other avian creatures, they still lay eggs just like their feathered brethren! These tuxedo-wearing birds generally live near coastal areas and construct small nests out of stones to keep their eggs warm while they incubate them. Penguins lay small pale greenish blue eggs that are roughly the size of a golf ball.  

While there are over 16 species of penguin worldwide, only six regularly breed in colonies on the continent itself! Penguins tend to lay one or two white or pale gray eggs which they incubate using their webbed feet for warmth until they hatch out!

Gulls:

Let’s talk about Seagull, Gulls are coastal and oceanic birds that live near shorelines, lakes, rivers, and oceans. They tend to have longer wings as comapre to other birds. Their feed primarily on fish and insects. Gulls typically lay three or four eggs in each clutch.

Finches:

Finches are small songbirds with long beaks adapted for cracking seeds and other hard foods. Finches come in many colors including green, brown, yellow, and black. These little birds usually build cup-shaped nests and will lay anywhere from one to eight eggs per clutch depending on the species.

Conclusion:

As you can see there are many types of birds that lay eggs. Whether they be large sea birds like Albatrosses or smaller songbirds like cardinals; all share a common trait: they reproduce by laying eggs! Knowing more about them allows us to better appreciate them in our everyday lives; after all they do help pollinate flowers and control insect populations!

In conclusion, these are some examples of the most commonly found birds that lay eggs throughout much of the world. Every species is unique in its own way – from its habitat to its coloring – which helps us understand why our feathered friends remain so important parts of our lives today!

We hope you enjoyed learning about these different kinds of birds who lay eggs in various parts of our planet! While it’s easy to take something like an egg for granted when it comes to us in grocery stores or restaurants, it’s fascinating to think about all the incredible creatures behind each one we eat or cook with each day!