Song Sparrows in Maine
When song sparrows are present in Maine, when they nest, which native Maine plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6b yard.
- Status in Maine
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–August
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–6b
When to expect song sparrows in Maine
Song Sparrows live in Maine all year. Long, snowy winters; boreal finches and Pine Grosbeaks irrupt south in poor cone years. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward weed and grass seeds.
Humid continental with a long, rocky Atlantic coast and extensive northern spruce-fir forest.
Nesting in Maine
Across Maine, song sparrows typically nest from May–August. Nest site: grass cup on the ground or low in shrubs. Females lay 3–5 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 9–12 days.
Cool, short summers; many songbirds do not begin nesting until late May.
- Song Sparrows don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as serviceberry, white oak, bur oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native Maine plants that attract song sparrows
Of the regional native plants we track for Maine, these 8 provide food or cover song sparrows use:
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Feeding song sparrows through the Maine year
Song Sparrows feed at the edge of shrubbery and are among the first birds singing in late winter.
- Best foods: Millet, Hulled sunflower, Cracked corn.
- In Maine's winter: Long, snowy winters; boreal finches and Pine Grosbeaks irrupt south in poor cone years.
Full diet breakdown for song sparrows · Best feeder for song sparrows
Frequently asked
Are song sparrows in Maine year-round?
Yes. Song Sparrows are year-round residents in Maine.
When do song sparrows nest in Maine?
Nesting in Maine typically runs May–August, with 2–3 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract song sparrows in Maine?
Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush, Wild bergamot are native plants in Maine that provide food or cover for song sparrows.
Song Sparrows in other regions
Other backyard birds in Maine
Sources
- Song Sparrow — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Song Sparrow life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Song Sparrow — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Maine
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
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.