Baltimore Oriole eggs
Pale grayish or bluish white, with brown and black streaks and blotches, about 0.87–0.98 inches long — roughly the width of a US quarter. A Baltimore Oriole lays 3–7 eggs, and they hatch after 11–14 days.
- Color
- Pale grayish or bluish white, with brown and black streaks and blotches
- Length
- 0.87–0.98 in (22–25 mm)
- Width
- 0.59–0.63 in (15–16 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 3–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 11–14 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Deep hanging pouch woven at the tip of a tall branch
How to recognise a Baltimore Oriole egg
- Color: pale grayish or bluish white, with brown and black streaks and blotches. Markings vary between females and are often heaviest around the wide end; the same female tends to lay a similar pattern every time.
- Size: 22–25 mm long by 15–16 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: deep hanging pouch woven at the tip of a tall branch. Baltimore orioles do not normally use nest boxes.
- Clutch: 3–7 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Oriole | pale grayish or bluish white, with brown and black streaks and blotches | 22–25 mm |
| Northern Cardinal | grayish, buffy or greenish white, speckled with pale gray and brown | 22–26 mm |
| Northern Mockingbird | light blue or greenish, spotted with red and brown | 22–27 mm |
| Cedar Waxwing | pale bluish gray, spotted with black or gray | 20–24 mm |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | white to grayish, speckled with brown or gray | 21–22 mm |
When Baltimore orioles lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in Texas (Apr) and latest in Alberta (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alberta | Jun–Jul |
| Connecticut | May–Jul |
| Delaware | May–Jul |
| Illinois | May–Jul |
| Indiana | May–Jul |
| Iowa | May–Jul |
| Kansas | May–Jul |
| Kentucky | May–Jul |
| Maine | Jun–Jul |
| Manitoba | Jun–Jul |
| Maryland | May–Jul |
| Massachusetts | May–Jul |
| Michigan | May–Jul |
| Minnesota | Jun–Jul |
| Missouri | May–Jul |
| Montana | Jun–Jul |
| Nebraska | May–Jul |
| New Brunswick | Jun–Jul |
| New Hampshire | Jun–Jul |
| New Jersey | May–Jul |
| New York | May–Jul |
| North Carolina | May–Jul |
| North Dakota | Jun–Jul |
| Nova Scotia | Jun–Jul |
| Ohio | May–Jul |
| Oklahoma | May–Jul |
| Ontario | Jun–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | May–Jul |
| Quebec | Jun–Jul |
| Rhode Island | May–Jul |
| Saskatchewan | Jun–Jul |
| South Dakota | May–Jul |
| Tennessee | May–Jul |
| Texas | Apr–Jul |
| Vermont | Jun–Jul |
| Virginia | May–Jul |
| West Virginia | May–Jul |
| Wisconsin | Jun–Jul |
From egg to fledgling
Eggs hatch after 11–14 days and the young leave 12–14 days later. See the full baby Baltimore Oriole 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 Baltimore Oriole eggs?
Pale grayish or bluish white, with brown and black streaks and blotches.
How big is a Baltimore Oriole egg?
About 0.87–0.98 in long and 0.59–0.63 in wide (22–25 × 15–16 mm) — roughly the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a Baltimore Oriole lay?
3–7 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1 per season.
How long until Baltimore Oriole eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 11–14 days. The young then stay in the nest 12–14 days — about 23–28 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a Baltimore Oriole 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: Baltimore Oriole 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.