Bird guide · Passer domesticus
House Sparrow
What the house sparrow eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Year-round resident
- Size
- 6.3 in (16 cm)
- Eats
- seed mixes, millet, sunflower hearts
- Feeds
- ground, tray/platform, hopper
- Most common
- Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa
Food
What do house sparrows eat?
At feeders, house sparrows take seed mixes, millet, sunflower hearts, crumbs.
Arrives in noisy flocks and comes to feeders for a wide variety of items.
Feeder that suits it
A low tray or platform feeder, or seed scattered on the ground below your feeder.
Range
Where do house sparrows live?
Found around buildings throughout the UK and North America, where it was introduced. By share of all bird sightings, house sparrows are most common in Hawaii (3.5%).
States where house sparrows are most common
- Hawaii3.5%
- Illinois2.5%
- Iowa2.2%
- Nebraska2.2%
- Indiana2.0%
- Wyoming1.9%
- Utah1.9%
- New York1.9%
- South Dakota1.8%
- Massachusetts1.8%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are house sparrows, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the house sparrow migrate?
Year-round resident. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in February.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are house sparrows, by month.
Identification
How to identify the house sparrow
Male: Grey crown, chestnut nape, black bib and whitish cheeks.
Female: Brown with a pale buff eyebrow and a plain grey chest.
Size: 6.3 in (16 cm)
Nesting
Does the house sparrow use nest boxes?
Yes. Nests in cavities, holes in buildings and birdhouses, often in small colonies.
On camera
Getting the house 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
House Sparrow: questions
What do house sparrows eat?
At feeders, seed mixes, millet, sunflower hearts, crumbs.
Do house sparrows migrate?
Year-round resident. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in February.
Where do house sparrows live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana. They are rare or absent in Alaska.
What does a female house sparrow look like?
Brown with a pale buff eyebrow and a plain grey chest.
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