White-breasted Nuthatch eggs
Creamy white or pinkish, speckled with reddish brown, about 0.71–0.79 inches long — roughly the width of a US quarter. A White-breasted Nuthatch lays 5–9 eggs, and they hatch after 13–14 days.
- Color
- Creamy white or pinkish, speckled with reddish brown
- Length
- 0.71–0.79 in (18–20 mm)
- Width
- 0.55–0.63 in (14–16 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 5–9 eggs
- Incubation
- 13–14 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Natural cavities in large trees; occasionally nest boxes
How to recognise a White-breasted Nuthatch egg
- Color: creamy white or pinkish, speckled with reddish 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: 18–20 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: natural cavities in large trees; occasionally nest boxes. White-breasted nuthatches also use nest boxes with a 1 1/4 in round entrance, so eggs in a box are a strong clue.
- Clutch: 5–9 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 |
|---|---|---|
| White-breasted Nuthatch | creamy white or pinkish, speckled with reddish brown | 18–20 mm |
| Barn Swallow | white, spotted with brown, lavender and gray | 16–22 mm |
| Carolina Wren | white or pinkish, speckled with brown | 17–20 mm |
| 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 |
When white-breasted nuthatches lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in Alabama (Mar) and latest in Alberta (May). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Mar–Jun |
| Alberta | May–Jun |
| Arizona | Mar–Jun |
| Arkansas | Apr–Jun |
| British Columbia | May–Jun |
| California | Mar–Jun |
| Colorado | Apr–Jun |
| Connecticut | Apr–Jun |
| Delaware | Apr–Jun |
| Florida | Mar–May |
| Georgia | Mar–Jun |
| Idaho | Apr–Jun |
| Illinois | Apr–Jun |
| Indiana | Apr–Jun |
| Iowa | Apr–Jun |
| Kansas | Apr–Jun |
| Kentucky | Apr–Jun |
| Louisiana | Mar–Jun |
| Maine | May–Jun |
| Manitoba | May–Jun |
| Maryland | Apr–Jun |
| Massachusetts | Apr–Jun |
| Michigan | Apr–Jun |
| Minnesota | Apr–Jun |
| Mississippi | Mar–Jun |
| Missouri | Apr–Jun |
| Montana | May–Jun |
| Nebraska | Apr–Jun |
| Nevada | Apr–Jun |
| New Brunswick | May–Jun |
| New Hampshire | May–Jun |
| New Jersey | Apr–Jun |
| New Mexico | Apr–Jun |
| New York | Apr–Jun |
| North Carolina | Mar–Jun |
| North Dakota | May–Jun |
| Nova Scotia | Apr–Jun |
| Ohio | Apr–Jun |
| Oklahoma | Apr–Jun |
| Ontario | Apr–Jun |
| Oregon | Apr–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | Apr–Jun |
| Prince Edward Island | May–Jun |
| Quebec | May–Jun |
| Rhode Island | Apr–Jun |
| Saskatchewan | May–Jun |
| South Carolina | Mar–Jun |
| South Dakota | Apr–Jun |
| Tennessee | Apr–Jun |
| Texas | Mar–Jun |
| Utah | Apr–Jun |
| Vermont | May–Jun |
| Virginia | Apr–Jun |
| Washington | Apr–Jun |
| West Virginia | Apr–Jun |
| Wisconsin | May–Jun |
| Wyoming | May–Jun |
From egg to fledgling
Eggs hatch after 13–14 days and the young leave 18–26 days later. See the full baby White-breasted Nuthatch 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 White-breasted Nuthatch eggs?
Creamy white or pinkish, speckled with reddish brown.
How big is a White-breasted Nuthatch egg?
About 0.71–0.79 in long and 0.55–0.63 in wide (18–20 × 14–16 mm) — roughly the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a White-breasted Nuthatch lay?
5–9 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1 per season.
How long until White-breasted Nuthatch eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 13–14 days. The young then stay in the nest 18–26 days — about 31–40 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a White-breasted Nuthatch 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: White-breasted Nuthatch 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.