How to Identify Wild Bird Eggs

Birds build nests to keep their eggs warm and dry. They also camouflage their homes to hide them from predators. Whether you're an avid birder or just out for the occasional nature hike, you may be lucky enough to stumble upon a nest of wild bird eggs. If so, you might want to know what you're looking at.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Locate red cardinal nests in dense thickets a few feet off the ground. They generally lay 3 to 4 eggs between March and August. The eggs are white or pale green with brown or gray speckles.

2. Look closely at a horizontal branch of a shade tree high off the ground. The walnut-sized may belong to the ruby throated hummingbird. The bean-sized eggs are generally found in pairs and are a plain white.

3. Find a nest containing 7 to 8 pink eggs with reddish-brown spots and you may be looking at the eggs of a wild spruce grouse. If the eggs are olive with reddish-brown spots, they belong to a sage grouse.

4. Take note of cup-shaped nests constructed from mud and grass. If they're filled with 3 to 5 smooth, glossy bright blue eggs, you've found wild robin eggs.

5. Climb up into conifer trees and look for cup-shaped nests 20 feet or so off the ground. If you find bluish eggs with brown spots concentrated at the large end, you're looking at blue jay eggs.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find whole eggs or a birds nest, take pictures and observe it without touching it. In many areas, it's illegal to disturb the nests of wild birds.

Resources

• Visit www.wildbirdcenter.com to learn more about wild bird identification.

[ange1]

on 5/26/2009 We have a purple martin nest right next to our house. The only thing we worry about is the blue bird that make there nests in it. It is very high off the ground without any folage around. Every year the blue birds make nests in there. Should we lower it to the ground? They have already started there nests.

[ange1]

on 5/26/2009 Our large black grill has not been opened since last winter. My husband opened it May 27 and to his surprise there was a oval deep nest about 8 to 9 inch long with only 2 small eggs. Each egg were an off white with medium brown speckles and some splotches. We have not seen the parents as of yet. Any idea as to what these eggs might be. We live in a heavely wooded area with huge shade trees.ang1

[evelynsaenz]

on 4/12/2009 One year we saw bluebirds flying in and out of an evergreen in front of the kitchen window. By careful observation we watched as the bluebirds switched from carrying bits of grass into the tree, to a long period of seeming inactivity to frantic in and out with food and finally watched the babies fledge. What a wonderful experience we had that spring!

[peeppeep]

on 5/16/2008 my 6 year old and i have found 7 white wild bird eggs w/ redish dots on them. the parent birds have been eaten by the family cat. My ? is, r they still alive? its been a week since mom and dad have been around keeping them warm. should i try to save them or is it to late?