Dark-eyed Junco eggs
Whitish or pale bluish, speckled with brown and gray, about 0.75–0.83 inches long — roughly the width of a US quarter. A Dark-eyed Junco lays 3–5 eggs, and they hatch after 11–13 days.
- Color
- Whitish or pale bluish, speckled with brown and gray
- Length
- 0.75–0.83 in (19–21 mm)
- Width
- 0.55–0.63 in (14–16 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 3–5 eggs
- Incubation
- 11–13 days
- Broods per year
- 1–3 per season
- Nest
- Cup on the ground, hidden under roots, banks or overhangs
How to recognise a Dark-eyed Junco egg
- Color: whitish or pale bluish, speckled with brown and gray. Markings vary between females and are often heaviest around the wide end; the same female tends to lay a similar pattern every time.
- Size: 19–21 mm long by 14–16 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: cup on the ground, hidden under roots, banks or overhangs. Juncos do not normally use nest boxes.
- Clutch: 3–5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dark-eyed Junco | whitish or pale bluish, speckled with brown and gray | 19–21 mm |
| House Finch | pale bluish white, finely speckled with black and lavender | 16–25 mm |
| Song Sparrow | greenish white, heavily marked with reddish brown | 19–22 mm |
| Barn Swallow | white, spotted with brown, lavender and gray | 16–22 mm |
| House Sparrow | whitish to greenish or bluish white, spotted with gray and brown | 20–22 mm |
When juncos lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in Arizona (Apr) and latest in Alaska (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Jun–Jul |
| Alberta | Jun–Jul |
| Arizona | Apr–Jul |
| British Columbia | Jun–Jul |
| California | Apr–Jul |
| Colorado | May–Jul |
| Idaho | May–Jul |
| Maine | Jun–Jul |
| Manitoba | Jun–Jul |
| Michigan | May–Jul |
| Minnesota | Jun–Jul |
| Montana | Jun–Jul |
| Nevada | May–Jul |
| New Brunswick | Jun–Jul |
| New Hampshire | Jun–Jul |
| New Mexico | May–Jul |
| New York | May–Jul |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Jun–Jul |
| Northwest Territories | Jun–Jul |
| Nova Scotia | Jun–Jul |
| Nunavut | Jun–Jul |
| Ontario | Jun–Jul |
| Oregon | May–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | May–Jul |
| Prince Edward Island | Jun–Jul |
| Quebec | Jun–Jul |
| Saskatchewan | Jun–Jul |
| Utah | May–Jul |
| Vermont | Jun–Jul |
| Washington | May–Jul |
| West Virginia | May–Jul |
| Wisconsin | Jun–Jul |
| Wyoming | Jun–Jul |
| Yukon | Jun–Jul |
From egg to fledgling
Eggs hatch after 11–13 days and the young leave 9–13 days later. See the full baby Dark-eyed Junco 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 Dark-eyed Junco eggs?
Whitish or pale bluish, speckled with brown and gray.
How big is a Dark-eyed Junco egg?
About 0.75–0.83 in long and 0.55–0.63 in wide (19–21 × 14–16 mm) — roughly the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a Dark-eyed Junco lay?
3–5 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1–3 per season.
How long until Dark-eyed Junco eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 11–13 days. The young then stay in the nest 9–13 days — about 20–26 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a Dark-eyed Junco 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: Dark-eyed Junco 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.