Like the birds they come from, bird eggs come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Here's everything you need to know about bird eggs.
From the bird to the egg
Before we can even really examine bird eggs, we need to talk about how they come about. Birds reproduce sexually and after they mate, they can lay anywhere from one to 20 eggs. Birds that make nests in open areas or holes tend to lay more eggs because the chances of their babies surviving is lower. Birds that have well protected nests, produce fewer eggs because their babies have a greater chance of survival.
The incubation period, or the amount of time birds need to develop in bird eggs before they hatch, is different for every bird. Some birds sit on the bird eggs for 10 days and then out pop baby birds. Other birds have to hang out on the nest for about a month. Birds of prey, such as eagles, have a longer incubation period. An eagle can sit on its nest for up to 36 days.
Birds sit on bird eggs to keep the eggs warm. The heat helps the babies progress in their development. Both male and female birds take turns sitting on the eggs. The bird that doesn't have egg duty usually has to look for food or keep any eye out for predators.
After the bird eggs have hatched, the babies chill out in the nest while they continue to develop and fatten up. The time the babies spend in the nest also depends on the bird. Many babies spend as much time sitting in the nest as they spent in the actual egg.
Types of eggs
Bird eggs are designed with the survival of the bird in mind. For example, birds that build their nests in cliffs have eggs that are pointed at the end in case the eggs fall out. The shape will force the egg to roll in a circle rather than down the cliff.
What do I do if I find bird eggs on the ground?
There are many reasons you'll find bird eggs on the ground, but the most common one points to a predator messing with the nest. Sometimes bird eggs get tossed out of the nest if the bird hasn't built the nest in a secure area, however, birds are pretty smart and they know they need to protect their nests from wind. So, if you see one on the ground, a predator was probably trying to, or did eat the eggs.
If the bird eggs you find are still whole, which is very unusual if they've fallen out of a tree, the best thing to do is leave it alone. Chances are the bird won't hatch even if you can return it to its nest. Do not take it home. Bird eggs that you find lying on the ground probably won't hatch.
