New World sparrows (Passerellidae)
Baby song sparrows: from egg to fledgling
A Song Sparrow lays 3–5 eggs. They hatch after 12–14 days, and the young leave the nest 9–12 days later — about 21–26 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 3–5 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Time in the nest
- 9–12 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 21–26 days
- Broods per year
- 2–3 per season
- Nest
- Grass cup on the ground or low in shrubs
- Uses nest boxes
- No
Stage by stage
- Eggs (12–14 days): 3–5 eggs per clutch. Most songbirds start incubating when the last or second-to-last egg is laid, so the young hatch close together; owls and hawks start with the first egg, so their chicks hatch days apart.
- Nestlings (9–12 days): the young hatch with little or no down and their eyes closed. They grow fast on a diet the parents bring in. In the breeding season song sparrows mainly eat beetles, caterpillars and grasshoppers.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young song sparrows are fully feathered but short-tailed and clumsy. They spend days to weeks on low branches or the ground while the parents keep feeding them.
- More broods: 2–3 per season. Pairs often start a new nest soon after the first young become independent.
When song sparrows nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Arizona (Mar) and latest in Alaska (May). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alaska | May–Aug |
| Alberta | May–Aug |
| Arizona | Mar–Aug |
| British Columbia | May–Aug |
| California | Mar–Aug |
| Colorado | Apr–Aug |
| Connecticut | Apr–Aug |
| Delaware | Apr–Aug |
| Idaho | Apr–Aug |
| Illinois | Apr–Aug |
| Indiana | Apr–Aug |
| Iowa | Apr–Aug |
| Kentucky | Apr–Aug |
| Maine | May–Aug |
| Manitoba | May–Aug |
| Maryland | Apr–Aug |
| Massachusetts | Apr–Aug |
| Michigan | Apr–Aug |
| Minnesota | May–Aug |
| Missouri | Apr–Aug |
| Montana | May–Aug |
| Nebraska | Apr–Aug |
| Nevada | Apr–Aug |
| New Brunswick | May–Aug |
| New Hampshire | May–Aug |
| New Jersey | Apr–Aug |
| New Mexico | Apr–Aug |
| New York | Apr–Aug |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | May–Aug |
| North Carolina | Apr–Aug |
| North Dakota | May–Aug |
| Northwest Territories | May–Aug |
| Nova Scotia | May–Aug |
| Ohio | Apr–Aug |
| Ontario | May–Aug |
| Oregon | Apr–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | Apr–Aug |
| Prince Edward Island | May–Aug |
| Quebec | May–Aug |
| Rhode Island | Apr–Aug |
| Saskatchewan | May–Aug |
| South Dakota | Apr–Aug |
| Tennessee | Apr–Aug |
| Utah | Apr–Aug |
| Vermont | May–Aug |
| Virginia | Apr–Aug |
| Washington | Apr–Aug |
| West Virginia | Apr–Aug |
| Wisconsin | May–Aug |
| Wyoming | May–Aug |
| Yukon | May–Aug |
Found a baby Song Sparrow?
- Feathered, hopping, can grip your finger: a fledgling. This is a normal stage. Keep pets and children away and watch from a distance; the parents are usually close by.
- Bare skin or only pin feathers: a nestling that fell. If you can see the nest, put it back. Touching it won't make the parents abandon it — that is a myth.
- Injured, cold, covered in flies, or caught by a cat: contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In the US and Canada, ahnow.org finds the nearest one.
- Don't give water or food. Baby birds can choke, and the wrong food can kill them.
More about song sparrows
Frequently asked
How long do baby song sparrows stay in the nest?
About 9–12 days after hatching. Eggs take 12–14 days to hatch, so it is roughly 21–26 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Song Sparrow lay?
3–5 eggs per clutch, with 2–3 per season.
Where do song sparrows nest?
Grass cup on the ground or low in shrubs.
What should I do if I find a baby Song Sparrow on the ground?
If it has feathers and hops, it is a fledgling and its parents are almost certainly nearby — leave it. If it is naked or has pin feathers, put it back in the nest if you can. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it is injured.