Bird guide · Passer montanus
Tree Sparrow
What the tree sparrow eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from across the UK.
- Season
- Year-round resident
- Size
- 5.5 in (14 cm)
- Eats
- seed mixes, millet, sunflower hearts
- Feeds
- ground, tray/platform, hopper
- Most common
- Northern Ireland, Scotland, England
Food
What do tree sparrows eat?
At feeders, tree sparrows take seed mixes, millet, sunflower hearts.
Shyer than House Sparrows and more active, often flicking its tail up.
Feeder that suits it
A low tray or platform feeder, or seed scattered on the ground below your feeder.
Range
Where do tree sparrows live?
Mainly eastern and lowland farmland, Red-listed; US: local in Missouri, Illinois and southeastern Iowa. By share of all bird sightings, tree sparrows are most common in Northern Ireland (0.2%).
Nations where tree sparrows are most common
- Northern Ireland0.2%
- Scotland0.2%
- England0.1%
- Wales0.02%
Share of all bird sightings in each nation that are tree sparrows, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the tree sparrow migrate?
Year-round resident. Across the UK it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in October.
Share of all bird sightings in the UK that are tree sparrows, by month.
Identification
How to identify the tree sparrow
Adults: Chestnut crown, black cheek spot on a white cheek and a small black bib.
Size: 5.5 in (14 cm)
Nesting
Does the tree sparrow use nest boxes?
Yes. Nests in cavities including birdhouses, often in small, loose colonies.
On camera
Getting the 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
Tree Sparrow: questions
What do tree sparrows eat?
At feeders, seed mixes, millet, sunflower hearts.
Do tree sparrows migrate?
Year-round resident. Across the UK it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in October.
Where do tree sparrows live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales.
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