European Starling eggs
Pale blue or greenish white, unmarked, about 1.06–1.26 inches long — about 1.2 times the width of a US quarter. A European Starling lays 4–6 eggs, and they hatch after 12 days.
- Color
- Pale blue or greenish white, unmarked
- Length
- 1.06–1.26 in (27–32 mm)
- Width
- 0.79–0.87 in (20–22 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 4–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 12 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
- Nest
- Cavities of any kind
How to recognise a European Starling egg
- Color: pale blue or greenish white, unmarked. There are no markings on a fresh egg, though eggs pick up stains from the nest as incubation goes on.
- Size: 27–32 mm long by 20–22 mm wide. For scale, a US quarter is 24.3 mm across, so this egg is about 1.2 times the width of a US quarter.
- Where you find it: cavities of any kind. Starlings do not normally use nest boxes.
- Clutch: 4–6 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 |
|---|---|---|
| European Starling | pale blue or greenish white, unmarked | 27–32 mm |
| American Robin | sky blue or blue-green, unmarked | 28–30 mm |
| Wood Thrush | pale blue or blue-green, unmarked | 24–28 mm |
| Gray Catbird | turquoise or greenish blue, unmarked | 21–26 mm |
| Eastern Bluebird | pale blue, occasionally white | 18–21 mm |
When starlings 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–Jun |
| 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 | May–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 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | May–Jun |
| North Carolina | Apr–Jun |
| North Dakota | May–Jun |
| Nova Scotia | May–Jun |
| Ohio | Apr–Jun |
| Oklahoma | Apr–Jun |
| Ontario | May–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 12 days and the young leave 21–23 days later. See the full baby European Starling 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 European Starling eggs?
Pale blue or greenish white, unmarked.
How big is a European Starling egg?
About 1.06–1.26 in long and 0.79–0.87 in wide (27–32 × 20–22 mm) — about 1.2 times the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a European Starling lay?
4–6 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1–2 per season.
How long until European Starling eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 12 days. The young then stay in the nest 21–23 days — about 33–35 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a European Starling nest with eggs?
Starlings are non-native and are not covered by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, but check state and local rules first. Disturbing an active nest of any native bird nearby is illegal.
Sources
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds: European Starling 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.