Crows and jays (Corvidae)
Baby Canada jays: from egg to fledgling
A Canada Jay lays 2–4 eggs. They hatch after 18–22 days, and the young leave the nest 22–24 days later — about 40–46 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 2–4 eggs
- Incubation
- 18–22 days
- Time in the nest
- 22–24 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 40–46 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Well-insulated cup in spruce near the trunk
- Uses nest boxes
- No
Stage by stage
- Eggs (18–22 days): 2–4 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 (22–24 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 Canada jays mainly eat berries, insects and fungi.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young Canada jays 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 Canada jays nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Colorado (Mar) and latest in Alaska (Apr). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Apr–Apr |
| Alberta | Apr–Apr |
| British Columbia | Apr–Apr |
| Colorado | Mar–Apr |
| Idaho | Mar–Apr |
| Maine | Apr–Apr |
| Manitoba | Apr–Apr |
| Michigan | Mar–Apr |
| Minnesota | Apr–Apr |
| Montana | Apr–Apr |
| New Brunswick | Apr–Apr |
| New Hampshire | Apr–Apr |
| New York | Mar–Apr |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Apr–Apr |
| Northwest Territories | Apr–Apr |
| Nova Scotia | Apr–Apr |
| Nunavut | Apr–Apr |
| Ontario | Apr–Apr |
| Oregon | Mar–Apr |
| Prince Edward Island | Apr–Apr |
| Quebec | Apr–Apr |
| Saskatchewan | Apr–Apr |
| South Dakota | Mar–Apr |
| Utah | Mar–Apr |
| Vermont | Apr–Apr |
| Washington | Mar–Apr |
| Wisconsin | Apr–Apr |
| Wyoming | Apr–Apr |
| Yukon | Apr–Apr |
Found a baby Canada Jay?
- 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 Canada jays
Frequently asked
How long do baby Canada jays stay in the nest?
About 22–24 days after hatching. Eggs take 18–22 days to hatch, so it is roughly 40–46 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Canada Jay lay?
2–4 eggs per clutch, with 1 per season.
Where do Canada jays nest?
Well-insulated cup in spruce near the trunk.
What should I do if I find a baby Canada Jay 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.