Perch Supply
New World sparrows (Passerellidae)

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina. Seeds most of the year; insects when nesting.

New World sparrows (Passerellidae)Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina
Scientific name
Spizella passerina
Length
4.7–5.9 in
Weight
0.4–0.5 oz
Nest
Loose cup lined with hair, 3–10 ft up in conifers or shrubs
Entrance hole
Does not use nest boxes
Clutch
2–7 eggs
Incubation
10–15 days
Broods
1–2 per season

Identification

  • Bright rusty cap in breeding season
  • Black eye-line and clean grey breast
  • Small, slim sparrow

Voice

Dry, rapid, mechanical trill.

Diet and feeding

Seeds most of the year; insects when nesting.

What do chipping sparrows eat? · Best feeder for chipping sparrows

Chipping Sparrows by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlabamaYear-round residentMarch–July
AlaskaSummer breederMay–July
AlbertaSummer breederMay–July
ArizonaYear-round residentMarch–July
ArkansasYear-round residentApril–July
British ColumbiaSummer breederMay–July
CaliforniaSummer breederMarch–July
ColoradoSummer breederApril–July
ConnecticutSummer breederApril–July
DelawareSummer breederApril–July
FloridaYear-round residentMarch–July
GeorgiaYear-round residentMarch–July
IdahoSummer breederApril–July
IllinoisSummer breederApril–July
IndianaSummer breederApril–July
IowaSummer breederApril–July
KansasSummer breederApril–July
KentuckyYear-round residentApril–July
LouisianaYear-round residentMarch–July
MaineSummer breederMay–July
ManitobaSummer breederMay–July
MarylandSummer breederApril–July
MassachusettsSummer breederApril–July
MichiganSummer breederApril–July
MinnesotaSummer breederMay–July
MississippiYear-round residentMarch–July
MissouriSummer breederApril–July
MontanaSummer breederMay–July
NebraskaSummer breederApril–July
NevadaSummer breederApril–July
New BrunswickSummer breederMay–July
New HampshireSummer breederMay–July
New JerseySummer breederApril–July
New MexicoYear-round residentApril–July
New YorkSummer breederApril–July
Newfoundland and LabradorSummer breederMay–July
North CarolinaYear-round residentApril–July
North DakotaSummer breederMay–July
Northwest TerritoriesSummer breederMay–July
Nova ScotiaSummer breederMay–July
OhioSummer breederApril–July
OklahomaSummer breederApril–July
OntarioSummer breederMay–July
OregonSummer breederApril–July
PennsylvaniaSummer breederApril–July
Prince Edward IslandSummer breederMay–July
QuebecSummer breederMay–July
Rhode IslandSummer breederApril–July
SaskatchewanSummer breederMay–July
South CarolinaYear-round residentMarch–July
South DakotaSummer breederApril–July
TennesseeYear-round residentApril–July
TexasYear-round residentMarch–July
UtahSummer breederApril–July
VermontSummer breederMay–July
VirginiaSummer breederApril–July
WashingtonSummer breederApril–July
West VirginiaSummer breederApril–July
WisconsinSummer breederMay–July
WyomingSummer breederMay–July
YukonSummer breederMay–July

Frequently asked

What do chipping sparrows eat?

Seeds most of the year; insects when nesting. At feeders: millet, hulled sunflower chips.

How big is a Chipping Sparrow?

4.7–5.9 in long and 0.4–0.5 oz.

Do chipping sparrows use birdhouses?

No. Loose cup lined with hair, 3–10 ft up in conifers or shrubs.

Sources

  1. Chipping Sparrow — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Chipping Sparrow life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Chipping Sparrow — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.