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The Ultimate Egg
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Birds

Guillemot

Uria aalge

About

Common guillemots (or common murres) are seabirds that nest on narrow cliff ledges with no nesting material whatsoever — just bare rock above crashing waves.

Their Eggs

Dramatically pointed (pyriform) eggs with wildly variable coloring — blue, green, white, or cream with brown, black, or red streaks and blotches. No two eggs look the same.

Egg Size Comparison

Chicken 55mm
Guillemot 80mm
145% of chicken egg

Fun Fact

Guillemot eggs are extremely pointed (pyriform) so they roll in a tight circle rather than off the cliff edge. Each egg's unique color pattern allows parents to identify their own egg among thousands on a crowded ledge.