Finally, winter loosens its grip, and daylight hours are increasing. If we can see it, you know for sure that birds have been aware for a while. More daylight hours mean only one thing for all bird species: breeding season. Whether migratory and first need to navigate the oceans and continents to get to their breeding grounds, or resident and already there, the pull of procreation will be the driving force for the next few months. But for some species, that labor of love began a while ago.
Spring is the season that always signals a time of renewal, and for much of the animal kingdom, including birds, reproduction. However, some bird species don’t wait for warm weather to begin nesting. By laying eggs before most other birds, these species secure prime locations and ensure their young have access to an abundance of prey when they hatch.
Common Raven
Common ravens typically begin nesting in early February, but some even begin in mid-January. Keeping eggs warm in freezing temperatures requires significant co-parental investment. Nest-building takes around 9 days, during which time the female is also forming a yolk in her ovaries. If fertilization occurs, that yolk passes through the oviduct, which is where the frankly amazing process of egg formation begins. The albumen, the oxygen-giving membranes—and that all-important hard shell—are layered on over the next 24hrs. That egg is then laid and is joined by up to two or six more over the next few days. Ravens are asynchronous hatchers: they don’t begin incubating until after the second egg is laid. The first egg does not suffer (unless exposed to extreme cold) but instead sits dormant until incubation begins. By starting incubation when there are at least two eggs together, ravens provide their first two young with a head start as a form of survival strategy. The first two chicks will hatch either at the same time or very close together, which can help ensure that at least the two strongest chicks survive in times of food scarcity or adverse weather events. Given that ravens take around 20-25 days to incubate their eggs, if one begins laying in mid-January, you can start to see at least two scrawny but equally sized hatchlings around the 5th to the 15th of February. That’s an incredible start to the year.
Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owls are another early breeder, but they start even earlier than the ravens, anytime from late December until March. They lay between one to four eggs, with two being the most common. Their average incubation period is 33 days, but during this time, unlike the ravens who share roles, the female incubates the eggs almost exclusively while the male provides the food. Ravens are omnivorous and opportunistic scavengers, so their diet is more varied, meaning both parents take turns foraging, which means both can take turns parenting. Great Horned Owls, on the other hand, are ambush predators who rely on stealth and powerful talons to capture their food, and as hunting is a skill-dependent activity, the male’s role as primary provider allows the female to remain on the nest, conserving her energy and protecting the little ones from the cold temperatures. Eggs are laid asynchronously, about one every 1–3 days, and they hatch anytime from late January to April. The chicks then remain in the nest for about 6 weeks, and the female broods them constantly at first, while the male continues bringing food. As they grow, both parents head for the hunt. This early breeding strategy allows young owls to develop fully before the next winter, giving them a better chance of survival.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Golden-fronted woodpeckers are another early breeder in North America, beginning as early as February, especially in warmer regions like Texas, Mexico, and Central America. Females take a few days to form each egg, as in most woodpeckers, and their clutch size is typically 3 to 6 eggs, with an incubation period of around 12 to 14 days. The roles here are again shared, but males usually take the night shift to let mom sleep, then both sexes share daytime duties. Young woodpeckers fledge at about 30 days old but remain dependent on their parents for another few weeks as they learn to forage, so it’s common to spot these tousled birds hopping about in a family group throughout Spring. Look for them in almost any wooded habitat, especially dry and semi-open areas, but also in suburbs and parks. Like other Melanerpes woodpeckers, they are not particularly shy or quiet!
Early breeders do take a calculated gamble—facing harsh weather and scarce food but gaining a head start on all those nesting sites and food. But their success hinges on resilience, adaptability, and sometimes sheer luck. These pioneers of the breeding season have provided us with a wealth of insight into the delicate balance that shapes bird populations and ecosystems, but simply just knowing that breeding season is underway despite the cold still around is enough to warm the heart.
