Gray Catbird eggs
Turquoise or greenish blue, unmarked, about 0.83–1.02 inches long — roughly the width of a US quarter. A Gray Catbird lays 1–6 eggs, and they hatch after 12–14 days.
- Color
- Turquoise or greenish blue, unmarked
- Length
- 0.83–1.02 in (21–26 mm)
- Width
- 0.63–0.71 in (16–18 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 1–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
- Nest
- Bulky cup deep in dense thickets or vines
How to recognise a Gray Catbird egg
- Color: turquoise or greenish blue, unmarked. There are no markings on a fresh egg, though eggs pick up stains from the nest as incubation goes on.
- Size: 21–26 mm long by 16–18 mm wide. For scale, a US quarter is 24.3 mm across, so this egg is roughly the width of a US quarter.
- Where you find it: bulky cup deep in dense thickets or vines. Catbirds do not normally use nest boxes.
- Clutch: 1–6 eggs. A nest with far more eggs than this may hold eggs from two females, or a cowbird egg laid by a brood parasite.
Eggs that look similar
These species lay eggs in the same color group, sorted by how close they are in length. Size and nest site usually settle it.
| Species | Egg | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Gray Catbird | turquoise or greenish blue, unmarked | 21–26 mm |
| Wood Thrush | pale blue or blue-green, unmarked | 24–28 mm |
| Eastern Bluebird | pale blue, occasionally white | 18–21 mm |
| American Robin | sky blue or blue-green, unmarked | 28–30 mm |
| European Starling | pale blue or greenish white, unmarked | 27–32 mm |
When catbirds lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in Alabama (Apr) and latest in Alberta (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Apr–Jul |
| Alberta | Jun–Jul |
| Arizona | Apr–Jul |
| Arkansas | May–Jul |
| British Columbia | Jun–Jul |
| Colorado | May–Jul |
| Connecticut | May–Jul |
| Delaware | May–Jul |
| Florida | Apr–Jul |
| Georgia | Apr–Jul |
| Idaho | May–Jul |
| Illinois | May–Jul |
| Indiana | May–Jul |
| Iowa | May–Jul |
| Kansas | May–Jul |
| Kentucky | May–Jul |
| Louisiana | Apr–Jul |
| Maine | Jun–Jul |
| Manitoba | Jun–Jul |
| Maryland | May–Jul |
| Massachusetts | May–Jul |
| Michigan | May–Jul |
| Minnesota | Jun–Jul |
| Mississippi | Apr–Jul |
| Missouri | May–Jul |
| Montana | Jun–Jul |
| Nebraska | May–Jul |
| New Brunswick | Jun–Jul |
| New Hampshire | Jun–Jul |
| New Jersey | May–Jul |
| New Mexico | May–Jul |
| New York | May–Jul |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Jun–Jul |
| North Carolina | May–Jul |
| North Dakota | Jun–Jul |
| Nova Scotia | Jun–Jul |
| Ohio | May–Jul |
| Oklahoma | May–Jul |
| Ontario | Jun–Jul |
| Oregon | May–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | May–Jul |
| Prince Edward Island | Jun–Jul |
| Quebec | Jun–Jul |
| Rhode Island | May–Jul |
| Saskatchewan | Jun–Jul |
| South Carolina | Apr–Jul |
| South Dakota | May–Jul |
| Tennessee | May–Jul |
| Utah | May–Jul |
| Vermont | Jun–Jul |
| Virginia | May–Jul |
| Washington | May–Jul |
| West Virginia | May–Jul |
| Wisconsin | Jun–Jul |
| Wyoming | Jun–Jul |
From egg to fledgling
Eggs hatch after 12–14 days and the young leave 10–11 days later. See the full baby Gray Catbird guide for nestling stages and what to do if you find one on the ground.
Found eggs in your yard?
- Leave them. Parents often step away for long stretches, especially before the full clutch is laid, because most songbirds do not start incubating until the last or second-to-last egg.
- A single egg on the ground is usually lost for good. Eggs cannot be hatched at home, and possession of native bird eggs is illegal without a permit.
- If a nest is somewhere inconvenient, wait it out. Most small songbirds are done in three to five weeks.
- Watch from a distance and keep pets indoors. Repeated visits can lead predators to the nest.
Questions
Frequently asked
What color are Gray Catbird eggs?
Turquoise or greenish blue, unmarked.
How big is a Gray Catbird egg?
About 0.83–1.02 in long and 0.63–0.71 in wide (21–26 × 16–18 mm) — roughly the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a Gray Catbird lay?
1–6 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1–2 per season.
How long until Gray Catbird eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 12–14 days. The young then stay in the nest 10–11 days — about 22–25 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a Gray Catbird nest with eggs?
No. Native birds, their nests and eggs are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Wait until the young have left before removing an old nest.
Sources
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds: Gray Catbird life history
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.