What Do Cardinal Eggs Look Like?
Many birdwatchers cherish never-ending curiosity about the lovely and stunning bird, the cardinal. They wonder what cardinals look like, how they mate, and even some birders also think about what do cardinal eggs look like?
If this question stimulates your curiosity, here is the answer: cardinals lay four to five grayish-white eggs at a time like most wild birds. Their eggs tend to be medium in size with thick yet readily breakable shells.
Apart from these characteristics, cardinal eggs have varied colors, shapes and spots, which we have briefly described in this content. Hence, let’s read.
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Egg Appearance & Color:
Birds’ eggs differ in various hues, shapes and sizes, and their eggs are ornately decorated with spots, scrawls and blotches. And cardinals’ eggs aren’t an exception either.
After completing mating rituals, the female cardinals lay one to five eggs about two to three times a year. These eggs tend to be 0.9 to 1.1 inches long and 0.7 to 0.8 inches wide.
They have a grayish white, smooth and glossy texture and are dotted with blue, green, brown or pale gray colors. Some cardinal eggs have a beige base and brown dots too.
Cardinals’ eggs are thick to support the weight of the incubating parent. Speaking of incubation, the female cardinals sit on laid eggs for 11 to 13 days to incubate those eggs and let the embryo break the eggs and hatch.
When Do Cardinals Lay Eggs?
Female cardinals have an extended breeding season. Usually, they lay eggs between March and September, and these birdies can lay eggs twice or thrice during this period.
The female cardinals can have two and four broods per season and can lay up to 5 eggs per brood. That means a single cardinal can lay up to 20 eggs each year.
While the female bird stays busy laying and incubating eggs for several consecutive days, the male cardinal keeps a close eye on the female and surrounds the territory for predators.
FAQs:
Do Cardinals leave Their Eggs Unattended?
No, they don’t leave their eggs, not even after the hatchlings come out of the eggs. Cardinals consider this period crucial and dangerous for baby cardinals. Hence, they protect the baby birds and feed them until baby birdies grow young and leave the nest.
How Long Can Cardinal Eggs Be Left Unattended?
Most birds’ eggs, including cardinals, will remain feasible for up to two weeks after being laid and before being incubated. Hence, you need to wait for at least one month after the hatch date before declaring a nest is abandoned.
What Should You Do If You Find A Cardinal Egg?
The best thing you can do is to leave that egg alone. However, if you are a wildlife expert and know how to incubate eggs in labs, you can bring them to a lab and let them hatch. Otherwise, you can call any wildlife agency to take care of the egg.
Final Words:
So, now you know what cardinal eggs look like. Next time you find any eggs in your backyard or anywhere else, you can identify them in a cinch with the help of the information mentioned above if those are cardinal eggs.
That’s all for this article; we hope you gained new knowledge today about cardinal eggs. If you did, we would appreciate your return to our website, and we will expect you to share this content with your friends on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest. Happy Birding.
