House Sparrows in Nova Scotia

House Sparrows live in Nova Scotia all year. Damp cold and wind chill; sheltered feeding stations and suet help small birds through storms. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grain and feeder seed.

Maritime — cool summers, snowy but ocean-moderated winters, fog and wind along the coast.

Across Nova Scotia, house sparrows typically nest from May–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.

Cool summers delay nesting compared with inland regions at similar latitude.

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

Of the regional native plants we track for Nova Scotia, 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 Nova Scotia's winter: Damp cold and wind chill; sheltered feeding stations and suet help small birds through storms.

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