18 eggs at true relative size, from the 31 mm egg of the Least Bittern to the 91.3 mm egg of the American Flamingo.
About this collection. These eggs cover most of the birds that nest in Canada and the United States, plus a few famous eggs from elsewhere, like the Ostrich and the extinct Elephant Bird. It isn’t every bird in the world yet; we’ll update this note as the collection grows.
American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus
- 48.6 × 36.6 mm
- Clutch: 2–7 eggs
Beige-brown to olive; unmarked.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 43 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 76.
- Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: American Bittern, Life History.
Drawing checked against a photo: Bird Eggs of Canada photo (Royal Saskatchewan Museum). - Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Make a 3D-printable copy of this egg →See posters with this egg →
American Flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber
- 91.3 × 55.4 mm
- Clutch: 1–2 eggs
White.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 41 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 6.
- Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: American Flamingo, Life History.
- Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
- 51.5 × 37 mm
- Clutch: 3–5 eggs
Greenish-blue.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 48 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 203.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Black-crowned Night-Heron, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Black-crowned Night-Heron, Life History.
Drawing checked against a photo: Bird Eggs of Canada photo (Royal Saskatchewan Museum). - Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Make a 3D-printable copy of this egg →See posters with this egg →
Cattle Egret
Ardea ibis
- 45.56 × 32.22 mm
- Clutch: 2–4 eggs
Pale sky blue to sea green.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 330 eggs: Arendt & Arendt 1988, Colonial Waterbirds 11(1): 72–84 (Montserrat, 330 eggs).
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Cattle Egret, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Cattle Egret, Life History.
Drawing checked against a photo: Bird Eggs of Canada photo (Royal Saskatchewan Museum). - Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
- 52.1 × 36.9 mm
- Clutch: 3–4 eggs
Pale greenish blue.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 75 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 47.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Glossy Ibis, Life History. - Description
- Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 47.
Drawing checked against a photo: Bird Eggs of Canada photo (University of Saskatchewan Department of Biology Natural History Collection). - Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
- 64.5 × 45.2 mm
- Clutch: 2–6 eggs
Pale blue, fading slightly with age.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 50 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 106.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Great Blue Heron, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Great Blue Heron, Life History.
Drawing checked against a photo: Flickr photo by Burke Museum; Bird Eggs of Canada photo (Royal Saskatchewan Museum). - Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Make a 3D-printable copy of this egg →See posters with this egg →
Great Egret
Ardea alba
- 57.5 × 41.5 mm
- Clutch: 1–6 eggs
Smooth, pale greenish blue.
Sources of information
- Size
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Great Egret, Life History.
- Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Great Egret, Life History.
Drawing checked against a photo: Bird Eggs of Canada photo (University of Saskatchewan Department of Biology Natural History Collection). - Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Make a 3D-printable copy of this egg →See posters with this egg →
Green Heron
Butorides virescens
- 38 × 29.5 mm
- Clutch: 3–5 eggs
Pale green to bluish.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 43 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 187.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Green Heron, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Green Heron, Life History.
Drawing checked against a photo: Bird Eggs of Canada photo (Royal Alberta Museum). - Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Make a 3D-printable copy of this egg →See posters with this egg →
Least Bittern
Ixobrychus exilis
- 31 × 23.5 mm
- Clutch: 2–6 eggs
Pale blue or green.
Sources of information
- Size
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Least Bittern, Life History.
- Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Least Bittern, Life History.
Drawing checked against a photo: Bird Eggs of Canada photo (University of Saskatchewan Department of Biology Natural History Collection). - Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Make a 3D-printable copy of this egg →See posters with this egg →
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
- 44 × 33.5 mm
- Clutch: 3–4 eggs
Pale bluish green.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 54 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 179.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Little Blue Heron, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Little Blue Heron, Life History.
- Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Reddish Egret
Egretta rufescens
- 51 × 37.6 mm
- Clutch: 3–6 eggs
Pale bluish green.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 42 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 161.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Reddish Egret, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Reddish Egret, Life History.
- Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja
- 65 × 43.9 mm
- Clutch: 1–5 eggs
Whitish to pale green, evenly covered with brown spots.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 40 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 16.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Roseate Spoonbill, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Roseate Spoonbill, Life History.
- Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
- 43 × 32.4 mm
- Clutch: 2–6 eggs
Pale greenish blue.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 46 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 150.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Snowy Egret, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Snowy Egret, Life History.
Drawing checked against a photo: Bird Eggs of Canada photo (University of Saskatchewan Department of Biology Natural History Collection). - Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
- 44.1 × 32.3 mm
- Clutch: 3–5 eggs
Pale greenish blue.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 41 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 172.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Tricolored Heron, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Tricolored Heron, Life History.
- Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
- 57.6 × 38.3 mm
Cream to blue-green eggs with brown splotches.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 80 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 28.
- Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: White Ibis, Life History.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
White-faced Ibis
Plegadis chihi
- 51.5 × 36 mm
- Clutch: 3–5 eggs
Pale bluish green to deep turquoise.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 46 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 54.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: White-faced Ibis, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: White-faced Ibis, Life History.
Drawing checked against a photo: Bird Eggs of Canada photo (Royal Alberta Museum). - Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Wood Stork
Mycteria americana
- 67.9 × 46 mm
- Clutch: 1–5 eggs
Creamy white.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 40 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 60.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Wood Stork, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Wood Stork, Life History.
- Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
- 51.3 × 36.9 mm
- Clutch: 2–6 eggs
Pale bluish green.
Sources of information
- Size
- Average of 40 eggs: Bent, Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds (U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135, 1927), p. 215.
Agrees with: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Life History. - Description
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Life History.
- Clutch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds.
- Shape
- Drawn from the length and width, with the taper estimated from the typical eggs of its group (how these eggs are drawn).