Eastern Screech-Owl eggs
White, unmarked, about 1.34–1.50 inches long — about 1.5 times the width of a US quarter. A Eastern Screech-Owl lays 2–6 eggs, and they hatch after 26–34 days.
- Color
- White, unmarked
- Length
- 1.34–1.50 in (34–38 mm)
- Width
- 1.18–1.22 in (30–31 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 2–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 26–34 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Tree cavity or nest box with wood-chip base
How to recognise a Eastern Screech-Owl 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: 34–38 mm long by 30–31 mm wide. For scale, a US quarter is 24.3 mm across, so this egg is about 1.5 times the width of a US quarter.
- Where you find it: tree cavity or nest box with wood-chip base. Eastern screech-owls also use nest boxes with a 3 in entrance, so eggs in a box are a strong clue.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Screech-Owl | white, unmarked | 34–38 mm |
| Rock Pigeon | white, unmarked | 37–41 mm |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | white, unmarked | 29–32 mm |
| Mourning Dove | white, unmarked | 26–29 mm |
| Purple Martin | white, unmarked | 23–26 mm |
When eastern screech-owls lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in Alabama (Feb) and latest in Maine (Apr). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Feb–May |
| Arkansas | Mar–May |
| Colorado | Mar–May |
| Connecticut | Mar–May |
| Delaware | Mar–May |
| Florida | Feb–May |
| Georgia | Feb–May |
| Illinois | Mar–May |
| Indiana | Mar–May |
| Iowa | Mar–May |
| Kansas | Mar–May |
| Kentucky | Mar–May |
| Louisiana | Feb–May |
| Maine | Apr–May |
| Maryland | Mar–May |
| Massachusetts | Mar–May |
| Michigan | Mar–May |
| Minnesota | Apr–May |
| Mississippi | Feb–May |
| Missouri | Mar–May |
| Montana | Apr–May |
| Nebraska | Mar–May |
| New Hampshire | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | Mar–May |
| New York | Mar–May |
| North Carolina | Mar–May |
| North Dakota | Apr–May |
| Ohio | Mar–May |
| Oklahoma | Mar–May |
| Ontario | Apr–May |
| Pennsylvania | Mar–May |
| Quebec | Apr–May |
| Rhode Island | Mar–May |
| South Carolina | Feb–May |
| South Dakota | Mar–May |
| Tennessee | Mar–May |
| Texas | Feb–May |
| Vermont | Apr–May |
| Virginia | Mar–May |
| West Virginia | Mar–May |
| Wisconsin | Apr–May |
| Wyoming | Apr–May |
From egg to fledgling
Eggs hatch after 26–34 days and the young leave about 28 days later. See the full baby Eastern Screech-Owl 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 Eastern Screech-Owl eggs?
White, unmarked.
How big is a Eastern Screech-Owl egg?
About 1.34–1.50 in long and 1.18–1.22 in wide (34–38 × 30–31 mm) — about 1.5 times the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a Eastern Screech-Owl lay?
2–6 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1 per season.
How long until Eastern Screech-Owl eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 26–34 days. The young then stay in the nest about 28 days — about 54–62 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a Eastern Screech-Owl 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: Eastern Screech-Owl 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.