Red-tailed Hawk eggs
White or buff, blotched and spotted with brown, about 2.17–2.56 inches long — about 2.5 times the width of a US quarter. A Red-tailed Hawk lays 1–5 eggs, and they hatch after 28–35 days.
- Color
- White or buff, blotched and spotted with brown
- Length
- 2.17–2.56 in (55–65 mm)
- Width
- 1.73–1.97 in (44–50 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 1–5 eggs
- Incubation
- 28–35 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Large stick nest high in a tree or on a ledge
How to recognise a Red-tailed Hawk egg
- Color: white or buff, blotched and spotted with 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: 55–65 mm long by 44–50 mm wide. For scale, a US quarter is 24.3 mm across, so this egg is about 2.5 times the width of a US quarter.
- Where you find it: large stick nest high in a tree or on a ledge. Red-tailed hawks do not normally use nest boxes.
- Clutch: 1–5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Red-tailed Hawk | white or buff, blotched and spotted with brown | 55–65 mm |
| Osprey | cream to pinkish cinnamon, blotched with reddish brown | 56–64 mm |
| American Crow | bluish green to olive, blotched with brown and gray | 38–46 mm |
| Killdeer | buff with heavy black and brown blotches | 34–39 mm |
| American Kestrel | white to pale reddish, blotched with brown and gray | 34–37 mm |
When red-tailed hawks lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in Alabama (Jan) and latest in Alberta (Mar). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Jan–Jun |
| Alberta | Mar–Jun |
| Arizona | Jan–Jun |
| Arkansas | Feb–Jun |
| British Columbia | Mar–Jun |
| California | Jan–Jun |
| Colorado | Feb–Jun |
| Connecticut | Feb–Jun |
| Delaware | Feb–Jun |
| Florida | Jan–Jun |
| Georgia | Jan–Jun |
| Idaho | Feb–Jun |
| Illinois | Feb–Jun |
| Indiana | Feb–Jun |
| Iowa | Feb–Jun |
| Kansas | Feb–Jun |
| Kentucky | Feb–Jun |
| Louisiana | Jan–Jun |
| Maine | Mar–Jun |
| Manitoba | Mar–Jun |
| Maryland | Feb–Jun |
| Massachusetts | Feb–Jun |
| Michigan | Feb–Jun |
| Minnesota | Mar–Jun |
| Mississippi | Jan–Jun |
| Missouri | Feb–Jun |
| Montana | Mar–Jun |
| Nebraska | Feb–Jun |
| Nevada | Feb–Jun |
| New Brunswick | Mar–Jun |
| New Hampshire | Mar–Jun |
| New Jersey | Feb–Jun |
| New Mexico | Feb–Jun |
| New York | Feb–Jun |
| North Carolina | Feb–Jun |
| North Dakota | Mar–Jun |
| Northwest Territories | Mar–Jun |
| Nova Scotia | Mar–Jun |
| Ohio | Feb–Jun |
| Oklahoma | Feb–Jun |
| Ontario | Mar–Jun |
| Oregon | Feb–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | Feb–Jun |
| Quebec | Mar–Jun |
| Rhode Island | Feb–Jun |
| Saskatchewan | Mar–Jun |
| South Carolina | Jan–Jun |
| South Dakota | Feb–Jun |
| Tennessee | Feb–Jun |
| Texas | Jan–Jun |
| Utah | Feb–Jun |
| Vermont | Mar–Jun |
| Virginia | Feb–Jun |
| Washington | Feb–Jun |
| West Virginia | Feb–Jun |
| Wisconsin | Mar–Jun |
| Wyoming | Mar–Jun |
| Yukon | Mar–Jun |
From egg to fledgling
Eggs hatch after 28–35 days and the young leave 42–46 days later. See the full baby Red-tailed Hawk 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 Red-tailed Hawk eggs?
White or buff, blotched and spotted with brown.
How big is a Red-tailed Hawk egg?
About 2.17–2.56 in long and 1.73–1.97 in wide (55–65 × 44–50 mm) — about 2.5 times the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a Red-tailed Hawk lay?
1–5 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1 per season.
How long until Red-tailed Hawk eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 28–35 days. The young then stay in the nest 42–46 days — about 70–81 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a Red-tailed Hawk 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: Red-tailed Hawk 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.