Wood Thrush eggs
Pale blue or blue-green, unmarked, about 0.94–1.10 inches long — roughly the width of a US quarter. A Wood Thrush lays 3–4 eggs, and they hatch after 11–14 days.
- Color
- Pale blue or blue-green, unmarked
- Length
- 0.94–1.10 in (24–28 mm)
- Width
- 0.71–0.79 in (18–20 mm)
- Eggs per clutch
- 3–4 eggs
- Incubation
- 11–14 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
- Nest
- Mud-lined cup in understory saplings
How to recognise a Wood Thrush egg
- Color: pale blue or blue-green, unmarked. There are no markings on a fresh egg, though eggs pick up stains from the nest as incubation goes on.
- Size: 24–28 mm long by 18–20 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: mud-lined cup in understory saplings. Wood thrushes do not normally use nest boxes.
- Clutch: 3–4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Thrush | pale blue or blue-green, unmarked | 24–28 mm |
| Gray Catbird | turquoise or greenish blue, unmarked | 21–26 mm |
| American Robin | sky blue or blue-green, unmarked | 28–30 mm |
| European Starling | pale blue or greenish white, unmarked | 27–32 mm |
| Eastern Bluebird | pale blue, occasionally white | 18–21 mm |
When wood thrushes lay eggs, state by state
Laying starts earliest in Alabama (Apr) and latest in Maine (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Apr–Jul |
| Arkansas | May–Jul |
| Connecticut | May–Jul |
| Delaware | May–Jul |
| Florida | Apr–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 |
| Maryland | May–Jul |
| Massachusetts | May–Jul |
| Michigan | May–Jul |
| Mississippi | Apr–Jul |
| Missouri | May–Jul |
| New Hampshire | Jun–Jul |
| New Jersey | May–Jul |
| New York | May–Jul |
| North Carolina | May–Jul |
| Ohio | May–Jul |
| Oklahoma | May–Jul |
| Ontario | Jun–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | May–Jul |
| Quebec | Jun–Jul |
| Rhode Island | May–Jul |
| South Carolina | Apr–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 12–15 days later. See the full baby Wood Thrush 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 Wood Thrush eggs?
Pale blue or blue-green, unmarked.
How big is a Wood Thrush egg?
About 0.94–1.10 in long and 0.71–0.79 in wide (24–28 × 18–20 mm) — roughly the width of a US quarter.
How many eggs does a Wood Thrush lay?
3–4 eggs per clutch, usually one egg a day, with 1–2 per season.
How long until Wood Thrush eggs hatch?
Incubation takes 11–14 days. The young then stay in the nest 12–15 days — about 23–29 days from incubation to leaving.
Can I move or touch a Wood Thrush 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: Wood Thrush 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.