Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Baby American three-toed woodpeckers: from egg to fledgling
A American Three-toed Woodpecker lays 3–7 eggs. They hatch after 11–14 days, and the young leave the nest 22–26 days later — about 33–40 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 3–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 11–14 days
- Time in the nest
- 22–26 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 33–40 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Cavity in a dead or dying conifer
- Uses nest boxes
- No
Stage by stage
- Eggs (11–14 days): 3–7 eggs per clutch. Most songbirds start incubating when the last or second-to-last egg is laid, so the young hatch close together; owls and hawks start with the first egg, so their chicks hatch days apart.
- Nestlings (22–26 days): the young hatch with little or no down and their eyes closed. They grow fast on a diet the parents bring in. In the breeding season American three-toed woodpeckers mainly eat spruce bark beetles and larvae.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young American three-toed woodpeckers are fully feathered but short-tailed and clumsy. They spend days to weeks on low branches or the ground while the parents keep feeding them.
- More broods: 1 per season.
When American three-toed woodpeckers nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Colorado (May) and latest in Alaska (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Jun–Jul |
| Alberta | Jun–Jul |
| British Columbia | Jun–Jul |
| Colorado | May–Jul |
| Idaho | May–Jul |
| Manitoba | Jun–Jul |
| Montana | Jun–Jul |
| New Brunswick | Jun–Jul |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Jun–Jul |
| Northwest Territories | Jun–Jul |
| Nova Scotia | Jun–Jul |
| Nunavut | Jun–Jul |
| Ontario | Jun–Jul |
| Prince Edward Island | Jun–Jul |
| Quebec | Jun–Jul |
| Saskatchewan | Jun–Jul |
| Utah | May–Jul |
| Wyoming | Jun–Jul |
| Yukon | Jun–Jul |
Found a baby American Three-toed Woodpecker?
- Feathered, hopping, can grip your finger: a fledgling. This is a normal stage. Keep pets and children away and watch from a distance; the parents are usually close by.
- Bare skin or only pin feathers: a nestling that fell. If you can see the nest, put it back. Touching it won't make the parents abandon it — that is a myth.
- Injured, cold, covered in flies, or caught by a cat: contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In the US and Canada, ahnow.org finds the nearest one.
- Don't give water or food. Baby birds can choke, and the wrong food can kill them.
More about American three-toed woodpeckers
Frequently asked
How long do baby American three-toed woodpeckers stay in the nest?
About 22–26 days after hatching. Eggs take 11–14 days to hatch, so it is roughly 33–40 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a American Three-toed Woodpecker lay?
3–7 eggs per clutch, with 1 per season.
Where do American three-toed woodpeckers nest?
Cavity in a dead or dying conifer.
What should I do if I find a baby American Three-toed Woodpecker on the ground?
If it has feathers and hops, it is a fledgling and its parents are almost certainly nearby — leave it. If it is naked or has pin feathers, put it back in the nest if you can. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it is injured.