10 Birds That Lay Blue Eggs

Here is a list of 10 common birds that lay blue eggs, so the next time you come across fragments of blue eggshell, you will be able to identify them.

1. American Robin

Clutch Size 3 – 5 eggs
Egg Length 28 – 30 mm (1.1 – 1.2 in)
Egg Width 21 mm (0.8 in)
Broods 2 – 3
Incubation Period 12 – 14 days
Fledging Period 13 days

The American robin, know for its vibrant orange chest, is a migratory bird that lives in North America and is a member of the thrush family. They are one of the first species of bird in North America to lay their eggs starting in April and ending in July. Their eggs are light blue with no markings.

The female builds the nest in a thick bush or the fork of a tree between 1.5 – 4.5 m (4.9 – 14.8 ft) high. The outer nest is made from long grass, twigs and feathers. The inside is lined with mud, fine blades of grass and other soft materials. With each new brood, a new nest is created.

2. Blackbird

Clutch Size 3 – 5 eggs
Egg Length 29 mm (1.1 in)
Egg Width 22 mm (0.8 in)
Broods 2 – 3
Incubation Period 13 – 14 days
Fledging Period 10 – 19 days

The blackbird is a common garden bird found across Europe. Blackbirds have their first brood in March and can still be breeding in August. Their eggs are bluish-green with reddish-brown blotches.

Breeding pairs nest in bushes or creepers like hawthorn, holly or ivy and sometimes nest in outbuildings and sheds. Their nests are cup-shaped, made from leaves and grass, and bound together with mud.

3. Jackdaw

Clutch Size 4 – 5 eggs
Egg Length 36 mm (1.4 in)
Egg Width 26 mm (1 in)
Broods 1
Incubation Period 17 – 18 days
Fledging Period 28 – 35 days

The jackdaw is a member of the crow family and is found across Europe, Northern Africa and western Asia. Their eggs are laid during April and May. The eggs are glossy blue or bluish-green with brown or olive markings.

They like to nest in cavities in trees, on cliffs, in occupied or ruined buildings and even in chimneys. The nests are lined with wool, dead grass, hair and other materials.

4. Brewer’s Sparrow

Clutch Size 2 – 5 eggs
Egg Length 16 – 17 mm (0.6 – 0.7 in)
Egg Width 13 mm (0.5 in)
Broods 1 – 2
Incubation Period 10 – 12 days
Fledging Period 6 – 9 days

The brewer’s sparrow is a small species of American sparrow living in the arid west. Their eggs are bluish-green with dark brown to reddish-brown spots.

They choose the tallest and thickest sage bushes to nest in. The nest is cup-shaped, with the exterior made of grasses and sagebrush twigs. The interior comprises of sage bush bark, fine grass and hair.

5. Starling

Clutch Size 4 – 6 eggs
Egg Length 27 – 32 mm (1.1 – 1.3 in)
Egg Width 19 – 23 mm (0.8 – 0.9 in)
Broods 1
Incubation Period 12 days
Fledging Period 21 – 23 days

Male starlings start building the base of the nest in an empty tree hole or building cavity. Once the male finds a mate, the female finishes the nest by lining it with grass, moss and feathers. Starling eggs are pale blue with little to no markings, with the female laying her eggs in mid-April.

6. Bullfinch

Clutch Size 4 – 5 eggs
Egg Length 20 mm (0.8 in)
Egg Width 15 mm (0.6 in)
Broods 2 – 3
Incubation Period 14 – 16 days
Fledging Period 12 – 18 days

Bullfinch eggs are laid from April – May. They are pale blue, lightly sprinkled with red to brown spots. Bullfinch nest in shrubs, bushes and woodland (4 – 7 ft) above the ground. The nests are made from small twigs, lichens and moss and lined with fine roots.

7. Magpie

Clutch Size 4 – 6 eggs
Egg Length 35 mm (1.4 in)
Egg Width 24 mm (0.9 in)
Broods 1
Incubation Period 18 – 19 days
Fledging Period 26 – 30 days

Magpies are a member of the Corvidae family and are highly intelligent birds, being one of the few non-mammals to recognise themselves in a mirror test. They lay their eggs at the beginning of April and are greenish-blue and heavily spotted brown. They nest in tall trees or thorny bushes.

8. Carrion Crow

Clutch Size 4 – 7 eggs
Egg Length 40 mm (1.5 in)
Egg Width 28 mm (1.1 in)
Broods 1
Incubation Period 18 – 20 days
Fledging Period 29 – 30 days

Carrion crow eggs are pale bluish-green with brown and grey markings that can cover the whole egg. The eggs are laid between April-May. The nests are typically built in tall trees, but old buildings and pylons are sometimes used. The nests are usually big, made from whatever they can find, ranging from twigs to bones.

9. Dunnock

Clutch Size 4 – 5 eggs
Egg Length 20 mm (0.8 in)
Egg Width 15 mm (0.6 in)
Broods 2 – 3
Incubation Period 12 – 13 days
Fledging Period 11 – 12 days

Dunnock’s nest is in thick bushes and shrubs, with the eggs being light blue and no markings. Like most birds, the nest is constructed solely by the female, with the outer layer made of twigs and moss. The inside is lined with hair and moss.

10. Song Thrush

Clutch Size 3 – 5 eggs
Egg Length 27 mm (1 in)
Egg Width 20 mm (0.8 in)
Broods 2 – 3
Incubation Period 13 – 15 days
Fledging Period 13 – 14 days

As the song thrush can have up to three broods a year, their breeding season starts in March and ends in August. The eggs are light blue with small black markings. The nests are built low off the ground in dense vegetation like shrubs and creepers. The nest is made of leaves, twigs, moss and grass. It is held together with mud and dung.