Birds That Lays Green Eggs

Birds with green eggs are quite diverse, ranging from small to large species, and can be found all around the world.

The color of the eggs can vary from bright green to dark green, olive, or even spotted green.

Hop on, and by the end of this article, you will be well aware of the significance of the pigment causing this coloration, what birds lay green eggs and their habitat, diet, and more in detail.

Why do birds lay green eggs?

Several birds lay green eggs due to the presence of a pigment called biliverdin. Biliverdin is a green pigment that is derived from the breakdown of red blood cells. It is then deposited in the eggshell, giving its distinct green color.

The color of bird eggs is also influenced by the birds diet, as certain foods provide the pigments needed for eggshell coloration. This direct link to the diet of the egg color can also reflect the health and vitality of the bird.

In addition, the green color of the eggs also plays a role in camouflage, protecting the egg from predators. Some of the birds nest on the ground, so the green color helps the eggs blend in with the surrounding environment, providing a natural defense against predators.

List of birds that lays green eggs:

• Elegant crested tinamou
• Southern cassowary
• Emu
• Eurasian whimbrel
• Araucana chicken

1. Elegant crested tinamou (Eudromia elegans)

Elegant crested tinamou also known as martineta tinamou, is a medium-sized tinamou. Also, it is terrestrial due to its poor flying ability.

This species is a partridge-like shaped bird with rounded wings. It is an olive-brown color, with the plumage being mostly black and white vermiculations.

Likewise, the bird has a long off-white stripe that starts above the eye and continues down the side of the neck. Also, the beak is short and comes to a sharp upright point as well as legs and feet are short and strong, built for running.

The elegant-crested tinamou is 39-41 cm (15–16 inches) long. This bird eggs are bright green and glossy. Females lay 5–6 eggs per clutch, which are then incubated by the males for 20–21 days.

Habitat: It is found in southern Chile and Argentina in Shrubland. This bird avoids tall and dense grasses and very thick stands of brush.

Feeding: Whereas this bird is classified as omnivores, their diet varies depending on the season. During winter, the elegant crested tinamou diet consists of plant grain, leaves, fruits, and buds.

While, in the summer, they eat an abundant amount of insects that inhabit the area.

2. Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius)

The southern cassowary is commonly known as double-wattled cassowary, Australian cassowary, or two-wattled cassowary. It is a large flightless black bird.

It has stiff, bristly plumage, a blue face, and a long neck, red on the cape, and two red wattles measuring around 17.8 cm in length hanging down around its throat.

This species eggs have a pea-green color that turns pale green with days. The female lays three or four eggs per clutch measuring 138 by 95 millimeters (5.4 in*3.7 in).

The male is the sole caregiver, incubating the eggs by himself for about 50 days.

Size and weight of Southern cassowary:

• Size: 127-170 cm (4 ft 2inches-5ft7 inches)
• Weight of female: 58.5 kg(129lb)
• Weight of male: 29-34 kg (64-75lb)

Habitat: It is found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northeastern Australia. This bird mostly inhabits tropical rainforests, but may make use of nearby savannah forests or mangroves stands.

Feeding: The southern cassowaries forage on the forest floor for fallen fruit and are capable of safely digesting some fruits toxic to other animals.

Read More: What bird lays blue eggs? >>>

3. Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

The emu is the second-largest living bird and is native to Australia. It is the only extant member of the genus Dromaius.

They have soft, brown feathers with long necks and legs. These species are robust bipedal runners that can travel great distances, and when necessary can sprint at 48km/h(30mph).

The emu lays 5-15 dark green eggs from April to May. The male incubates them for about 60 days. The eggs are rather large, with the average egg being 9*13 cm and weighing about 2 pounds. The egg turns a rich green hue over the 8-week incubation course.

Size and weight of Emu:

• Size: 139-164 cm (55–65 inches)
• Weight: 18-60kg(40-132 lb)

Habitat: It inhabits northern, southeastern, and southwestern Australia. They are found in open plains, sclerophyll forests, savanna woodland, eucalyptus forests, and sand plains. Also, they are rarely found in rainforests or very arid areas.

Feeding: This bird forage in a diurnal pattern and eats a variety of native and introduced plant species. The diet is based on seasonal availability, with such plants as Casuarina, Acacia, and grasses being favored.

They also consume insects and other arthropods, like, grasshoppers and crickets, cockroaches, and bogong, cotton-boll moth larvae.

The emu can go for weeks without eating. It drinks infrequently but takes in copious amounts of fresh water when the opportunity arises.

4. Eurasian whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

The Eurasian whimbrel scientifically known as, Numenius phaeopus, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae.

This bird and the Hudsonian whimbrel have currently been split, but some taxonomic authorities still consider them to be conspecific.

The whimbrel is mainly greyish brown, with a white back and rump. Also, it has a long curved beak with a kink rather than a smooth curve.

Its nest is a bare scrape on tundra or Arctic moorland. The female lays three to five eggs in a depression on the ground that is lined with moss, grass, and lichen.

The eggs are pale green to olive green in color and are streaked with brown markings. Moreover, adults are very defensive of the nesting area and will even attack humans who come too close.

Size and wingspan of Eurasian Whimbrel:

• Size: 37-47 cm (15–19 inches)
• Weight: 270-493g (9.5-17.4 oz)
• Wingspan: 75-90 cm (30–35 inches)

Habitat: This species is a migratory bird wintering on coasts in Africa, and South Asia into Australasia. Also, it is a coastal bird during migration.

The Eurasian whimbrel is fairly gregarious outside the breeding season. It is found in Ireland and the UK, and it breeds in Scotland, particularly around Shetland, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides as well as the mainland at Sutherland and Caithness.

Feeding: It feeds by probing soft mud for small invertebrates and by picking small crabs and similar prey off the surface. Before migration, berries become an important part of their diet. They also eat insects when available.

5. Araucana chicken

The Araucana also known as Gallina Mapuche in Spanish, is a breed of domestic chicken from Chile.

Likewise, its skin color is white. Breed standards for the Araucana vary from country to country. They may have unusual stuff of feathers on the ears and maybe rumpless, without a tail and tail-bone.

This bird has a pea comb and lays approximately 250 blue or green eggs per year.

Weight of Araucana chicken:

• Weight of male: 2.7-3.2 kg
• Weight of female: 2.2-2.7 kg

Habitat: The Araucana chickens are believed to have originated in the Araucania Region of central Chile. They are now found worldwide.

Feeding: They thrive on a balanced diet of commercial poultry feed supplemented with fresh greens and grains.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the world of avian species is diverse and fascinating, with a wide array of birds laying green eggs.

These birds span across various species and geographical locations, from the Southern cassowary in New Guinea to the Araucana chicken in Chile.

Moreover, the pigment biliverdin gives these eggs their green hue, serving as camouflage to protect against predators. The green eggs of these birds are not just a natural curiosity.

They represent the complex ecological balance and the resilience of wildlife, reminding us of the need for environmental stewardship to protect these natural wonders for future generations.