Song Sparrows in Montana
When song sparrows are present in Montana, when they nest, which native Montana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–6a yard.
- Status in Montana
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–August
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–6a
When to expect song sparrows in Montana
Song Sparrows live in Montana all year. Very cold winters on the plains, with chinook winds bringing sudden thaws. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward weed and grass seeds.
Continental — Rocky Mountain forest in the west, semi-arid Great Plains in the east.
Nesting in Montana
Across Montana, 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.
Warm, dry summers and a short growing season.
- Song Sparrows don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as bur oak, paper birch, chokecherry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native Montana plants that attract song sparrows
Of the regional native plants we track for Montana, these 8 provide food or cover song sparrows use:
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.
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.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
Feeding song sparrows through the Montana 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 Montana's winter: Very cold winters on the plains, with chinook winds bringing sudden thaws.
Full diet breakdown for song sparrows · Best feeder for song sparrows
Frequently asked
Are song sparrows in Montana year-round?
Yes. Song Sparrows are year-round residents in Montana.
When do song sparrows nest in Montana?
Nesting in Montana 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 Montana?
Bur oak, Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Chokecherry are native plants in Montana that provide food or cover for song sparrows.
Song Sparrows in other regions
Other backyard birds in Montana
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 — Montana
- 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.