American Goldfinch eggs
Pale bluish white, sometimes with faint spots, about 0.59–0.67 inches long — about 66% of the width of a US quarter. A American Goldfinch lays 2–7 eggs, and they hatch after 12–14 days.
- Color
- Pale bluish white, sometimes with faint spots
- Length
- 0.59–0.67 in (15–17 mm)
- Width
- 0.47–0.51 in (12–13 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 2–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
- Nest
- Tight cup in shrubs or saplings, lined with thistle or cattail down; nests late, in July–September
How to recognise a American Goldfinch egg
- Color: pale bluish white, sometimes with faint spots. There are no markings on a fresh egg, though eggs pick up stains from the nest as incubation goes on.
- Size: 15–17 mm long by 12–13 mm wide. For scale, a US quarter is 24.3 mm across, so this egg is about 66% of the width of a US quarter.
- Where you find it: tight cup in shrubs or saplings, lined with thistle or cattail down; nests late, in july–september. Goldfinches do not normally use nest boxes.
- Clutch: 2–7 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 |
|---|---|---|
| American Goldfinch | pale bluish white, sometimes with faint spots | 15–17 mm |
| Chipping Sparrow | pale blue-green with sparse dark brown and black marks, mostly at the large end | 16–19 mm |
| Eastern Bluebird | pale blue, occasionally white | 18–21 mm |
| Gray Catbird | turquoise or greenish blue, unmarked | 21–26 mm |
| Wood Thrush | pale blue or blue-green, unmarked | 24–28 mm |
When goldfinches lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in California (Jun) and latest in Alberta (Aug). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alberta | Aug–Sep |
| British Columbia | Aug–Sep |
| California | Jun–Sep |
| Colorado | Jul–Sep |
| Connecticut | Jul–Sep |
| Delaware | Jul–Sep |
| Georgia | Jul–Sep |
| Idaho | Jul–Sep |
| Illinois | Jul–Sep |
| Indiana | Jul–Sep |
| Iowa | Jul–Sep |
| Kansas | Jul–Sep |
| Kentucky | Jul–Sep |
| Maine | Aug–Sep |
| Manitoba | Aug–Sep |
| Maryland | Jul–Sep |
| Massachusetts | Jul–Sep |
| Michigan | Jul–Sep |
| Minnesota | Jul–Sep |
| Missouri | Jul–Sep |
| Montana | Aug–Sep |
| Nebraska | Jul–Sep |
| New Brunswick | Aug–Sep |
| New Hampshire | Aug–Sep |
| New Jersey | Jul–Sep |
| New York | Jul–Sep |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Aug–Sep |
| North Carolina | Jul–Sep |
| North Dakota | Aug–Sep |
| Nova Scotia | Jul–Sep |
| Ohio | Jul–Sep |
| Ontario | Jul–Sep |
| Oregon | Jul–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | Jul–Sep |
| Prince Edward Island | Aug–Sep |
| Quebec | Aug–Sep |
| Rhode Island | Jul–Sep |
| Saskatchewan | Aug–Sep |
| South Dakota | Jul–Sep |
| Tennessee | Jul–Sep |
| Utah | Jul–Sep |
| Vermont | Aug–Sep |
| Virginia | Jul–Sep |
| Washington | Jul–Sep |
| West Virginia | Jul–Sep |
| Wisconsin | Aug–Sep |
| Wyoming | Aug–Sep |
From egg to fledgling
Eggs hatch after 12–14 days and the young leave 11–17 days later. See the full baby American Goldfinch 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 American Goldfinch eggs?
Pale bluish white, sometimes with faint spots.
How big is a American Goldfinch egg?
About 0.59–0.67 in long and 0.47–0.51 in wide (15–17 × 12–13 mm) — about 66% of the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a American Goldfinch lay?
2–7 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1–2 per season.
How long until American Goldfinch eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 12–14 days. The young then stay in the nest 11–17 days — about 23–31 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a American Goldfinch 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: American Goldfinch 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.