Crows and jays (Corvidae)
Baby florida scrub-jays: from egg to fledgling
A Florida Scrub-Jay lays 1–5 eggs. They hatch after 16–21 days, and the young leave the nest 18 days later — about 34–39 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 1–5 eggs
- Incubation
- 16–21 days
- Time in the nest
- 18 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 34–39 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Open cup low in scrub oaks
- Uses nest boxes
- No
Stage by stage
- Eggs (16–21 days): 1–5 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 (18 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 florida scrub-jays mainly eat insects, lizards and acorns.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young florida scrub-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 florida scrub-jays nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Florida (Feb) and latest in Florida (Feb). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Florida | Feb–Jun |
Found a baby Florida Scrub-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 florida scrub-jays
Frequently asked
How long do baby florida scrub-jays stay in the nest?
About 18 days after hatching. Eggs take 16–21 days to hatch, so it is roughly 34–39 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Florida Scrub-Jay lay?
1–5 eggs per clutch, with 1 per season.
Where do florida scrub-jays nest?
Open cup low in scrub oaks.
What should I do if I find a baby Florida Scrub-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.