House Sparrows in Oregon

House Sparrows live in Oregon all year. Mild, rainy winters in the Willamette Valley; cold, snowy winters east of the Cascades. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grain and feeder seed.

Marine west-coast climate west of the Cascades; high desert to the east.

Across Oregon, 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.

Dry summers west of the Cascades; hot days in the high desert.

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

Of the regional native plants we track for Oregon, 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 Oregon's winter: Mild, rainy winters in the Willamette Valley; cold, snowy winters east of the Cascades.

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