Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)
Baby lazuli buntings: from egg to fledgling
A Lazuli Bunting lays 3–4 eggs. They hatch after 12 days, and the young leave the nest 10–12 days later — about 22–24 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 3–4 eggs
- Incubation
- 12 days
- Time in the nest
- 10–12 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 22–24 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
- Nest
- Cup in shrubs
- Uses nest boxes
- No
Stage by stage
- Eggs (12 days): 3–4 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 (10–12 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 lazuli buntings mainly eat grasshoppers and caterpillars.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young lazuli buntings 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: 1–2 per season. Pairs often start a new nest soon after the first young become independent.
When lazuli buntings nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Arizona (Apr) and latest in Alberta (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alberta | Jun–Jul |
| Arizona | Apr–Jul |
| British Columbia | Jun–Jul |
| California | Apr–Jul |
| Colorado | May–Jul |
| Idaho | May–Jul |
| Montana | Jun–Jul |
| Nebraska | May–Jul |
| Nevada | May–Jul |
| New Mexico | May–Jul |
| North Dakota | Jun–Jul |
| Oregon | May–Jul |
| Saskatchewan | Jun–Jul |
| South Dakota | May–Jul |
| Utah | May–Jul |
| Washington | May–Jul |
| Wyoming | Jun–Jul |
Found a baby Lazuli Bunting?
- 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 lazuli buntings
Frequently asked
How long do baby lazuli buntings stay in the nest?
About 10–12 days after hatching. Eggs take 12 days to hatch, so it is roughly 22–24 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Lazuli Bunting lay?
3–4 eggs per clutch, with 1–2 per season.
Where do lazuli buntings nest?
Cup in shrubs.
What should I do if I find a baby Lazuli Bunting 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.