Bird egg incubation periods vary widely depending on the species, generally ranging from about 10 days to over 80 days.

• Small songbirds typically incubate their eggs for about 10 to 14 days before hatching

• Medium-sized birds like woodpeckers or pigeons may take around 12 to 18 days

• Waterfowl and game birds such as ducks and turkeys usually require about 21 to 30 days

• Raptors (eagles, hawks, owls) have longer incubation periods, often between 30 and 50 days

• Large seabirds like albatrosses and penguins can take from 50 up to 80 days, with the wandering albatross holding the record for the longest incubation at about 80 days

The incubation period begins when the parent bird starts consistently warming the eggs, and this warmth is crucial for embryo development. Some species begin incubating after laying the first egg, causing eggs to hatch sequentially, while others wait until the entire clutch is laid so all hatch simultaneously

. In summary, the time it takes for bird eggs to hatch depends largely on the bird's size and species, ranging from roughly 10 days in small songbirds to up to 80 days in large seabirds