Nesting Season Overview – Chart

Timing of Events in Nesting Season*

Compiled by Darlene Betat using All About Birds by Cornell Lab of Ornithology

and Oregon Birds by David Marshall

	Species	Nest: Construction Timing/Type/Material	Clutch Size	Incubation Period	Nesting Period
	American Crow	LATE MAR to MID-APR basket-nest of branches lined w/soft natural fibers lines w/pine needles, soft bark, weeds and fur	4-8 eggs	16-18 days	20-40 days
	American Goldfinch	JUN through JUL cup nest in deciduous tree or shrub plant fibers, rootlets, plant down, spider silk	2-7 eggs	12-14 days	11-14 days
	American Robin	EARLY MAY to LATE AUG cup nest in tree or on protected nesting shelf, etc. grasses, twigs, rootlets, etc., reinforced w/mud	3-5 eggs	12-14 days	13 days
	Anna’s Hummingbird	EARLY FEB to MID-JUN cup nest on branch or other structure plant down, animal fur, spider webs, lichen, etc.	2 eggs	14-19 days	20 days
	Bewick’s Wren	MAR to APR cup-nest in birdhouse, cavity, or protected crevice plant down, grasses & dried vegetation, twigs etc.	3-6 eggs	14 days	14-17 days
	Black-capped Chickadee	LATE MAR to EARLY APR readily uses birdhouses, may excavate own cavity lined with fur, moss and fine dried vegetation	1-13 eggs	12-13 days	16 days
	Black-headed Grosbeak	LATE MAY to MID-JUN bulky cup nest hidden in tree or shrub twigs, stems, rootlet, fine plant fibers, hair, etc	2-5 eggs	12-14 days	10-14 days
	Bushtit	FEB to MID-APR sock-like nest with well-insulated base moss & plant down, animal fur, spider webs	4-7 eggs	12 days	14 days
	California Scrub-Jay	LATE FEB – LATE MAY basket-like nest of branches w/inner cup nest use fine plant fibers (esp. coconut) and animal hair	3-6 eggs	17-19 days	17-19 days
	Chestnut-backed Chickadee	LATE MAR to MID-JUN birdhouse or cavity (existing or own excavation) uses fur, moss, vegetation to build sponge-like pad	4-10 eggs	19 days	18-21 days
	Dark-eyed Junco	LATE APR to EARLY JUN cup nest on ground/branch in hanging basket/old robin’s nest animal hair is preferred lining; grasses, pine needles	3-5 eggs	11-12 days	11-13 days
Downy Woodpecker		LATE APR to LATE MAY birdhouse or cavity (excavation can take 1-3 weeks)	4-5 eggs	12 days	18-21 days
House Finch		MID-MARCH TO LATE JULY cup nest in tree/hanging plant, on nesting shelf/structures fine weed/grass stems, leaves, plant/animal fibers	2-6 eggs	13-14 days	12-19 days
Lesser Goldfinch		MID-APR to LATE JUN cup nest in fork of branches of tree or shrub plant fibers, spider webs, fur, feathers, wool, etc.	3-6 eggs	12-13 days	12-14 days
Northern Flicker		MID-APR to MID-MAY Birdhouse or Cavity few wood shavings on bottom	5-10 eggs	11-13 days	24-27 days
Pileated Woodpecker		LATE MAR to EARLY MAY excavates a cavity excavation takes 3-6 weeks	4 eggs	15-18 days	24-31 days
Pine Siskin		APR through JUL cup nest on end of concealed, horizontal branch coarse/fine grasses/stems/rootlets, soft plant down	3-4 eggs	13 days	15 days
Red-breasted Nuthatch		MID-APR to MID-JUN cup nest in birdhouse or cavity uses fine strips of bark and wood shavings	5-8 eggs	12-13 days	18-21 days
Song Sparrow		MID-APR to LATE MAY then MID-JUN to EARLY JUL cup nest on ground or in shrub up to 5 ft off ground coarse and fine grass stems	2-6 eggs	12-15 days	12-19 days
Spotted Towhee		MID-APR to LATE JUN cup nest in depression on ground, concealed by log/plant/etc leaves/stems/bark strips, grass, pine needles, hair	2-6 eggs	12-13 days	10-12 days
Steller’s Jay		LATE MAR to LATE JUN bulky cup nest of stems/leaves/moss held w/mud cup lined with pine needles, rootlets or animal hair	4-5 eggs	16 days	16 days
Tree Swallow		MAR through JUN birdhouse or old woodpecker cavity lining: feathers, dried grasses	5-7 eggs	14 days	16-24 days
Violet-green Swallow		APR through JUN birdhouse or old woodpecker cavity lining: feathers, dried grasses and vegetation	4-6 eggs	15 days	23 days
Western Screech-Owl		courtship beings JAN/FEB uses old woodpecker cavity or appropriate nestbox; builds no nest; lays eggs on whatever is in cavity	2-7 eggs	26-34 days	4 wks +?