Bird guide · Spizelloides arborea
American Tree Sparrow
What the American tree sparrow eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Migrant
- Size
- 5.9 in (15 cm)
- Eats
- millet, seeds
- Feeds
- ground, tray/platform
- Most common
- Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa
Food
What do American tree sparrows eat?
At feeders, American tree sparrows take millet, seeds.
Often comes to feeders with Dark-eyed Juncos.
Feeder that suits it
A low tray or platform feeder, or seed scattered on the ground below your feeder.
Range
Where do American tree sparrows live?
Nests in the far north; winters in open country of the northern states. By share of all bird sightings, American tree sparrows are most common in Nebraska (0.5%).
Season
When can you see the American tree sparrow?
Migrant. Across the US, it is mainly reported from October to April, most often in January.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are American tree sparrows, by month.
Identification
How to identify the American tree sparrow
Adults: Rusty cap, two-toned bill, dark chest spot and two white wing bars.
Size: 5.9 in (15 cm)
On camera
Getting the American tree sparrow on a feeder camera
Most visits happen on the ground or on low trays. A camera feeder with a wide tray, placed low near cover, catches far more than a hanging tube.
Questions
American Tree Sparrow: questions
What do American tree sparrows eat?
At feeders, millet, seeds.
Do American tree sparrows migrate?
Migrant. Across the US, it is mainly reported from October to April, most often in January.
Where do American tree sparrows live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois. They are rare or absent in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, District of Columbia.
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