Purple Martin eggs
White, unmarked, about 0.91–1.02 inches long — roughly the width of a US quarter. A Purple Martin lays 3–6 eggs, and they hatch after 15–18 days.
- Color
- White, unmarked
- Length
- 0.91–1.02 in (23–26 mm)
- Width
- 0.67–0.75 in (17–19 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 3–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 15–18 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- In the East, nests almost entirely in human-supplied martin houses and gourds
How to recognise a Purple Martin egg
- Color: white, unmarked. There are no markings on a fresh egg, though eggs pick up stains from the nest as incubation goes on.
- Size: 23–26 mm long by 17–19 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: in the east, nests almost entirely in human-supplied martin houses and gourds. Purple martins also use nest boxes with a 1 3/4–2 1/8 in round, or starling-resistant crescent (3 × 1 3/16 in) entrance, so eggs in a box are a strong clue.
- Clutch: 3–6 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Martin | white, unmarked | 23–26 mm |
| Mourning Dove | white, unmarked | 26–29 mm |
| Eastern Phoebe | white, occasionally with a few brown spots | 18–21 mm |
| Downy Woodpecker | white, unmarked | 19–20 mm |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | white, unmarked | 29–32 mm |
When purple martins lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in Florida (Mar) and latest in Alberta (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Apr–Jul |
| Alberta | Jun–Jul |
| Arizona | Apr–Jul |
| Arkansas | May–Jul |
| California | Apr–Jul |
| Connecticut | May–Jul |
| Delaware | May–Jul |
| Florida | Mar–Jul |
| Georgia | Apr–Jul |
| Illinois | May–Jul |
| Indiana | May–Jul |
| Iowa | May–Jul |
| Kansas | May–Jul |
| Kentucky | May–Jul |
| Louisiana | Apr–Jul |
| Maine | Jun–Jul |
| Manitoba | Jun–Jul |
| Maryland | May–Jul |
| Massachusetts | May–Jul |
| Michigan | May–Jul |
| Minnesota | May–Jul |
| Mississippi | Apr–Jul |
| Missouri | May–Jul |
| Nebraska | May–Jul |
| New Brunswick | Jun–Jul |
| New Hampshire | Jun–Jul |
| New Jersey | May–Jul |
| New York | May–Jul |
| North Carolina | Apr–Jul |
| North Dakota | Jun–Jul |
| Nova Scotia | Jun–Jul |
| Ohio | May–Jul |
| Oklahoma | May–Jul |
| Ontario | May–Jul |
| Oregon | May–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | May–Jul |
| Rhode Island | May–Jul |
| Saskatchewan | Jun–Jul |
| South Carolina | Apr–Jul |
| South Dakota | May–Jul |
| Tennessee | May–Jul |
| Texas | Mar–Jul |
| Vermont | Jun–Jul |
| Virginia | Apr–Jul |
| Washington | May–Jul |
| West Virginia | May–Jul |
| Wisconsin | Jun–Jul |
From egg to fledgling
Eggs hatch after 15–18 days and the young leave 26–32 days later. See the full baby Purple Martin 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 Purple Martin eggs?
White, unmarked.
How big is a Purple Martin egg?
About 0.91–1.02 in long and 0.67–0.75 in wide (23–26 × 17–19 mm) — roughly the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a Purple Martin lay?
3–6 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1 per season.
How long until Purple Martin eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 15–18 days. The young then stay in the nest 26–32 days — about 41–50 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a Purple Martin 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: Purple Martin 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.