House Sparrows in Nebraska

House Sparrows live in Nebraska all year. Cold, windy winters; the Platte River corridor holds most wintering birds. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grain and feeder seed.

Continental, from tallgrass prairie in the east to the Sandhills and shortgrass in the west.

Across Nebraska, house sparrows typically nest from April–August. Nest site: messy grass nest in any cavity, including nest boxes. Females lay 4–6 eggs, incubate for 10–14 days, and young leave the nest after 14 days.

Hot summers with thunderstorms.

• House Sparrows don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as sugar maple for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Of the regional native plants we track for Nebraska, these 8 provide food or cover house sparrows use:

An introduced species that evicts bluebirds and kills nestlings; use 1 1/2 in bluebird holes, monitor boxes, and avoid millet if it's a problem.

• Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn.
• In Nebraska's winter: Cold, windy winters; the Platte River corridor holds most wintering birds.

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