House Sparrows in Ontario
When house sparrows are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–August
- Broods
- 2–4 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
When to expect house sparrows in Ontario
House Sparrows live in Ontario all year. Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grain and feeder seed.
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, 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.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- House Sparrows don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as sugar maple, paper birch for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native Ontario plants that attract house sparrows
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover house sparrows use:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Feeding house sparrows through the Ontario year
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 Ontario's winter: Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches.
Full diet breakdown for house sparrows · Best feeder for house sparrows
Frequently asked
Are house sparrows in Ontario year-round?
Yes. House Sparrows are year-round residents in Ontario.
When do house sparrows nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario typically runs May–August, with 2–4 per season. Clutches are 4–6 eggs, incubated for 10–14 days.
What native plants attract house sparrows in Ontario?
Sugar maple, Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for house sparrows.
House Sparrows in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
Sources
- House Sparrow — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- House Sparrow life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- House Sparrow — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
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.