House Sparrows in Utah

House Sparrows live in Utah all year. Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grain and feeder seed.

Semi-arid to arid, with the Wasatch Range rising above the Great Basin and red-rock canyon country in the south.

Across Utah, 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, dry summers.

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

Of the regional native plants we track for Utah, 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 Utah's winter: Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards.

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