Delaware · Summer breeder

Chipping Sparrows in Delaware

When chipping sparrows are present in Delaware, when they nest, which native Delaware plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–8a yard.

New World sparrows (Passerellidae)Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina

Status in Delaware: Summer breeder
Nesting window: April–July
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 7a–8a

When to expect chipping sparrows in Delaware

Chipping Sparrows are summer residents in Delaware, arriving shortly before nesting begins in April and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on grasshoppers, leafhoppers and caterpillars.

Humid subtropical to temperate coastal plain between Delaware Bay and the Atlantic.

Nesting in Delaware

Across Delaware, chipping sparrows typically nest from April–July. Nest site: loose cup lined with hair, 3–10 ft up in conifers or shrubs. Females lay 2–7 eggs, incubate for 10–15 days, and young leave the nest after 9–12 days.

Hot, humid summers; bay-shore woodlots are important migrant stopovers in May.

Chipping Sparrows don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as sugar maple, red maple for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Delaware plants that attract chipping sparrows

Of the regional native plants we track for Delaware, these 7 provide food or cover chipping sparrows use:

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta · Perennial

Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium · Perennial

Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Sugar maple

Acer saccharum · Tree

Hosts hundreds of caterpillar species; spring flowers draw early insects.

Red maple

Acer rubrum · Tree

Among the first spring bloomers; early insects for returning migrants.

Feeding chipping sparrows through the Delaware year

Chippers feed on lawns and low platforms and nest in ornamental evergreens near houses.

Best foods: Millet, Hulled sunflower chips.
In Delaware's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for chipping sparrows · Best feeder for chipping sparrows

Frequently asked

Are chipping sparrows in Delaware year-round?

No. Chipping Sparrows are summer breeders in Delaware and leave for the winter.

When do chipping sparrows nest in Delaware?

Nesting in Delaware typically runs April–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 2–7 eggs, incubated for 10–15 days.

What native plants attract chipping sparrows in Delaware?

Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Sugar maple, Red maple are native plants in Delaware that provide food or cover for chipping sparrows.

Other backyard birds in Delaware

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow

Sources

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.