Northern Mockingbird eggs
Light blue or greenish, spotted with red and brown, about 0.87–1.06 inches long — roughly the width of a US quarter. A Northern Mockingbird lays 2–6 eggs, and they hatch after 12–13 days.
- Color
- Light blue or greenish, spotted with red and brown
- Length
- 0.87–1.06 in (22–27 mm)
- Width
- 0.67–0.79 in (17–20 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 2–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–13 days
- Broods per year
- 2–3 per season
- Nest
- Twig cup in shrubs and small trees 3–10 ft up
How to recognise a Northern Mockingbird egg
- Color: light blue or greenish, spotted with red and brown. Markings vary between females and are often heaviest around the wide end; the same female tends to lay a similar pattern every time.
- Size: 22–27 mm long by 17–20 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: twig cup in shrubs and small trees 3–10 ft up. Mockingbirds do not normally use nest boxes.
- Clutch: 2–6 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Mockingbird | light blue or greenish, spotted with red and brown | 22–27 mm |
| Northern Cardinal | grayish, buffy or greenish white, speckled with pale gray and brown | 22–26 mm |
| Baltimore Oriole | pale grayish or bluish white, with brown and black streaks and blotches | 22–25 mm |
| Cedar Waxwing | pale bluish gray, spotted with black or gray | 20–24 mm |
| Brown Thrasher | pale blue or greenish, finely speckled with reddish brown | 25–29 mm |
When mockingbirds lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in Alabama (Feb) and latest in Arkansas (Mar). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Feb–Aug |
| Arizona | Feb–Aug |
| Arkansas | Mar–Aug |
| California | Feb–Aug |
| Colorado | Mar–Aug |
| Connecticut | Mar–Aug |
| Delaware | Mar–Aug |
| Florida | Feb–Aug |
| Georgia | Feb–Aug |
| Hawaii | Feb–Aug |
| Illinois | Mar–Aug |
| Indiana | Mar–Aug |
| Kansas | Mar–Aug |
| Kentucky | Mar–Aug |
| Louisiana | Feb–Aug |
| Maryland | Mar–Aug |
| Massachusetts | Mar–Aug |
| Mississippi | Feb–Aug |
| Missouri | Mar–Aug |
| Nebraska | Mar–Aug |
| Nevada | Mar–Aug |
| New Jersey | Mar–Aug |
| New Mexico | Mar–Aug |
| New York | Mar–Aug |
| North Carolina | Mar–Aug |
| Ohio | Mar–Aug |
| Oklahoma | Mar–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | Mar–Aug |
| Rhode Island | Mar–Aug |
| South Carolina | Feb–Aug |
| Tennessee | Mar–Aug |
| Texas | Feb–Aug |
| Utah | Mar–Aug |
| Virginia | Mar–Aug |
| West Virginia | Mar–Aug |
From egg to fledgling
Eggs hatch after 12–13 days and the young leave 12–13 days later. See the full baby Northern Mockingbird 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 Northern Mockingbird eggs?
Light blue or greenish, spotted with red and brown.
How big is a Northern Mockingbird egg?
About 0.87–1.06 in long and 0.67–0.79 in wide (22–27 × 17–20 mm) — roughly the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a Northern Mockingbird lay?
2–6 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 2–3 per season.
How long until Northern Mockingbird eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 12–13 days. The young then stay in the nest 12–13 days — about 24–26 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a Northern Mockingbird 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: Northern Mockingbird 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.