How long do bird eggs take to hatch?
Different bird species lay different sized eggs. Large birds lay larger eggs than smaller birds.
The chicks of larger bird species usually take longer to hatch than the chicks of smaller bird species.
Some examples include the following:
The Ostrich is the the largest bird in the world and its egg is the largest bird egg in the world. It measures about 15 centimetres (6 inches) long. The egg takes about 35-45 days to hatch.
The Emu is the second largest bird in the world, and its egg also measures about 15 centimetres (6 inches) long. The egg takes about 35-45 days to hatch.
The Lesser Rhea egg is half the size of an Ostrich egg. It hatches after 29-43 days.
The Iberian Golden Eagle egg hatches after about 42 days.
The Mallard Duck egg takes about 28 days to hatch.
The Chicken egg is 5-6 centimetres (2 inches) long and takes about 21 days to hatch.
The Gouldian Finch egg hatches after about 14-16 days.
The Eurasian Wren egg hatches after about 14 days.
The House Sparrow egg hatches after about 11-14 days.
The Bee Hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world, at about 6 centimetres (2.5 inches) tall. It has the smallest egg in the world, at one centimetre (half an inch) long. The egg hatches after about 2-18 days.
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM