Chipping Sparrow Nesting (Behavior, Eggs + Location)

Sparrows are common in North America in spring and summer, coming from their wintering grounds in the southern United States and Mexico. The nest site is selected in the low branches of conifers and other dense leaves, and the cup-shaped nest is woven by grass. To learn more about the nesting habits of these native house sparrows, read on.

Every March to May, house sparrows arrive at their breeding grounds in North America, choosing sheltered nesting spots among evergreen trees. They keep one or two broods seasonally, reusing nest material that may have been used in previous years in pairs.

Several nests may be tried, but they are usually fragile and fall apart easily. They are then abandoned and a sturdier nest is built capable of supporting eggs and young.

Read on to learn more about nesting strategies and location selection for breeding house sparrows.

A sparrow’s nest with four chicks inside

nest location

Where do sparrows nest?

Sparrows build their nests on the tips of the low branches of coniferous trees. In the eastern part of its range, it also breeds in deciduous woodlands, farmland, parks and backyards.

Do house sparrows nest in the same place every year?

While nests are usually fairly fragile and cannot be reused for more than one brood, detritus sparrows do periodically return to breeding sites they have used the previous season and may reuse materials from previous nests to build new nests.

Are sparrows nesting in the backyard?

Sparrows will nest in low branches that provide safe shelter and suitable cover, and if these sparrows are present in the backyard, the breeding pair may make their home there.

They may be attracted to the backyard, which also offers a fresh water supply and access to a variety of native grasses.

Closeup of a female house sparrow sitting on a nest

Do Chipping Sparrows use nest boxes?

There are no reports of the use of nest boxes by the sparrow, and there are only a few isolated reports of this species nesting in places other than tree branches.

These unusual places include on a lawn mower in an abandoned tool shed, in a hanging basket, and even hanging over dried peppers.

What tree do sparrows nest in?

Conifers provide a favorite nesting spot for house sparrows, and their dense foliage provides shelter and protection. Tree species commonly chosen as nesting sites include spruce, pine, juniper and cedar.

Sometimes deciduous nests are used instead, such as crabapple, honeysuckle, maple, and hawthorn.

How tall is the Chipping Sparrow’s nest?

Nests built by house sparrows are usually at least 0.9 m (3 ft) above the ground. Although lower sites are occasionally used, most detritus sparrows nest within 0.9 m to 3 m (3 ft to 10 ft) above the ground, usually no higher than 4.6 m (15 ft).

Sparrows like to build nests in coniferous trees

Nest Appearance

What does Chipping Sparrow’s nest look like?

The nests of chipper sparrows are neat, compact structures drawn loosely together to form a cup-shaped nest with a central depression inside in which the eggs are laid.

How big is the Chipping Sparrow’s nest?

Sparrow nests are relatively small, averaging 11.2 cm (4.4 in) across and 5.7 cm (2.2 in) high. The inner cup is 3.7cm (1.5in) deep and 4.8cm (1.9in) wide.

Closeup of a Chipping Sparrows nest with unhatched blue eggs

phenology

What time of year do house sparrows nest?

Between early March and May, males arrive at the nesting area before females, who form pairs within a few days of their arrival. Nest building usually begins two weeks after pair formation, with the earliest eggs of the season being laid in March and the latest clutch completed in August.

How long do sparrows build nests?

Incubation times are short, typically 10 to 12 days, but as short as 7 days have been recorded. Eclosion occurs between 9 and 12 days, sometimes as early as 8 days after hatching.

What month do sparrows lay eggs?

The earliest eggs are laid in March, shortly after the sparrows arrive at the breeding grounds after their winter migration. Anytime between March and May is a typical first clutch.

If one nest fails, more broods may be placed in another nest and a second brood may be attempted, in rare cases spawning is observed in late August.

Where do sparrows nest in winter?

Sparrows that breed in northern and central North America typically migrate south in winter, to the southern United States and Mexico. Instead of nesting in winter, they form larger loose groups that roost together in trees on the edge of oak woodlands, orchards, or wild pastures.

Young chipping sparrow chicks inside the nest

nest

How do sparrows build their nests?

Nests, co-selected by both males and females, are usually located at the tips of branches, supported by smaller branches. Cup-shaped nests are loosely woven together by the female with grasses, roots, and weeds, which are then lined with softer materials.

The nest is compact and open, and if construction fails midway, the site is abandoned and a new attempt begins elsewhere. Construction takes an average of three to four days,

What do Chipping Sparrows use to build their nests?

Grasses and weeds are loosely intertwined to form a round, cup-shaped nest. Softer weeds and roots, and animal hair, if any, are added to the inside of the nest as a lining.

Do male or female sparrows build nests?

Pairs of sparrows choose nesting sites together, but when it comes to nesting, the females work alone. The males stay nearby, guarding the females and guarding the nest, but do not play an active role in the making.

Sparrows gather material for nesting

Egg

What does a Chipping Sparrow egg look like?

Eggs laid by sparrow sparrows are usually blue, ranging from sky blue to light, with irregular brownish-black stripes.

In rare cases, the eggs may be white with the same spots. The shiny, smooth-shelled sparrow eggs are subelliptical, 1.5 to 2 cm (0.6 to 0.8 in) long and 1.1 to 1.5 cm (0.4 to 0.6 in) wide.

How many eggs do sparrows lay in total?

Broken sparrow nests typically contain four eggs, although anything in the range of 2 to 7 eggs is typical.

Do male sparrows sit on eggs?

Only the female detritus sparrow incubates the eggs, which are brought in by the males who stay nearby and fiercely defend the site from threats.

Females may leave the nest briefly to forage in nearby bushes, but usually form a strong attachment to their nest and its contents, and have been observed to rarely leave their brooding duties.

smash sparrow eggs

fledgling and parental care

When do baby sparrows leave the nest?

Young sparrows develop their wings 9 to 12 days after hatching. There are very few reports of 8-day-old chicks emerging, but their chances of survival are reduced if they leave the nest so early.

During the first few weeks after eclosion, the parents continue to feed and raise the chicks until they are able to forage and survive independently.

How many litters do Chipping Sparrows have?

One brood is normal for sparrows, with between 12% and 24% of pairs successfully reared from two litters. In rare cases a third brood may be attempted, but most of these will fail.

broken sparrow nesting

common problem

Do sparrows abandon their nests?

During the breeding season, several unfinished sparrow nests may be started and abandoned, and the material from these unfinished nests will be reused for new attempts. After spawning, the parents may abandon if the site is disturbed by predators.

A new nest can then be built and a replacement clutch placed, depending on when it enters the breeding season.

In the early stages of spawning, a female sparrow may leave the nest unattended before the brood is complete. On initial inspection, a brood appears to have been abandoned, but brooding can resume after a maximum of 2 to 3 days at this stage, without any harm to the unhatched eggs.

Do sparrows nest on the ground?

While unusual, it’s not unheard of for house sparrows to nest on or near the ground. The nest is usually built at least 0.9 m (3 ft) above the ground, but occasionally a lower level nest may be built if there is dense undergrowth or a properly shaded tangled root system.

Where do sparrows nest at night?

The overnight habitat is usually chosen on the upper branches of evergreen trees. Except for the hatching or brooding females, house sparrows do not sleep on the nest at night.

Recently fledged sparrow chick

How to Attract Nesting Sparrows?

Chip sparrows are attracted to landscapes planted with native and ornamental grasses because the seeds provide an essential food resource. A fresh water supply and dense foliage or tree cover will also provide potential nesting sites.

What kind of nest does the Chipping Sparrow build?

Sparrows build a compact, cup-shaped nest that weaves together grasses, weeds, and roots. The nest is lined with fine grass and animal hair. In the past, horsehair was the most common lining material.

Are sparrows invasive?

Unlike the house sparrow, which was introduced from Europe in the 19th century and considered an invasive species, the house sparrow is a native species.