They would make gigantic Easter eggs… Here are the largest eggs in the world!

Holy Saturday is the day when we traditionally prepare Easter baskets, and of course – no basket would be complete without an egg, the symbol of life, rebirth, and new beginnings, present in nearly every culture. But have you ever wondered which birds lay the biggest eggs in the world?

Ostrich egg – the record holder among living birds

The largest egg laid by any living bird comes from the ostrich (Struthio camelus). This flightless bird, the king of the African savannas, is not only the biggest bird on Earth but also tops the list when it comes to eggs. An ostrich egg typically weighs between 1.4 and 2 kg, measures 15 to 20 cm in length, and in terms of volume, is about the size of a small pumpkin.

Although its size is impressive, it makes up only 1–2% of the female’s body weight. Ostrich eggs are glossy and creamy-colored, and their shell is as hard as porcelain – up to 2–3 mm thick. In the past, people made vessels and ornaments from them; today, artists use them to craft lamps and jewelry.

Guinness World Record from Borlänge

Not all ostrich eggs are alike. In 2010, on a farm in Borlänge, Sweden, a female ostrich laid a true treasure: an egg weighing 2.589 kg, with a circumference of 42 cm and a length of 21 cm. It became the heaviest egg laid by a living bird ever recorded in the Guinness World Records.

Emu and its emerald egg

Right behind the ostrich is the emu, another flightless bird from Australia. Emu eggs are smaller, weighing between 0.5 and 0.7 kg, but they are remarkable for their dark green shells, which resemble naturally dyed Easter eggs. A female emu lays between 5 and 15 eggs per clutch, and their layered, durable shells have long inspired Aboriginal people, who, after eating the eggs, carved patterns into the shells or used them to create ornaments. This art form, known as kalti paarti carving, has been practiced since the 19th century and was often used to tell stories, depict totems, and pass on knowledge about the land and identity.

Prehistoric giants – the egg of the elephant bird

Ostrich and emu eggs are impressive, but the true record belongs to a bird that no longer walks the Earth. Aepyornis maximus, known as the elephant bird or mamutak, was a now-extinct giant from Madagascar and possibly the largest bird in Earth’s history. Its eggs were monstrous: up to 70 cm in circumference and about 9 liters in volume – equivalent to over 150 chicken eggs! They could weigh up to 10 kg, with a shell thickness of up to 4 mm.

The elephant bird went extinct between the 11th and 14th centuries, but its eggs are still found in nearly pristine condition. They are of great value to scientists, and their fragments fetch astronomical sums at auctions. An Easter egg made from a mamutak shell? That would be a challenge even for the most patient artist!

Record holders of the underwater world

The ocean depths also hide some record breakers. Let’s take a look at the eggs of creatures living in the aquatic realm.

Giant squid – the largest eggs among marine invertebrates

The largest eggs among marine invertebrates are laid by the giant squid (Architeuthis dux). These eggs range from 2 to 4 cm in diameter – an impressive size in the world of cephalopods. Surrounded by a jelly-like membrane that protects them from predators and pressure, the eggs float in water as delicate clusters, sometimes numbering in the thousands. They look like organic clouds drifting through the ocean. Giant squids live at depths of up to 1,000 m, so their eggs must withstand extreme conditions.

Ocean sunfish – record number of eggs

In the fish world, the record goes to the ocean sunfish (Mola mola), which lays eggs so tiny they are nearly invisible to the naked eye – less than 1 mm in diameter, resembling a planktonic mist suspended in water. But their number is astronomical: up to 300 million in a single reproductive cycle! This is the highest number of eggs laid at once by any known animal. Why so many? In the open ocean, only a few will survive predator attacks and reach adulthood.

The world’s largest eggs in the Easter basket

Today’s Easter baskets are usually filled with chicken eggs (and chocolate ones), which have become a staple of the holiday tradition due to their accessibility and symbolism. However, in the past, especially in Eastern cultures, ostrich eggs played a special role. In Orthodox Christianity, they were adorned with intricate patterns as expressions of faith in resurrection and new life. As impressive and meaningful as they are, they certainly wouldn’t fit in a traditional Easter basket…

main image: AI-generated