Wyoming · Year-round resident

Song Sparrows in Wyoming

When song sparrows are present in Wyoming, when they nest, which native Wyoming plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–5b yard.

New World sparrows (Passerellidae)Song SparrowMelospiza melodia

Status in Wyoming: Year-round resident
Nesting window: May–August
Broods: 2–3 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3a–5b

When to expect song sparrows in Wyoming

Song Sparrows live in Wyoming all year. Cold, very windy winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward weed and grass seeds.

Semi-arid high plains and basins with major mountain ranges; most towns lie above 5,000 ft.

Nesting in Wyoming

Across Wyoming, 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.

Short, warm summers with cool nights.

Song Sparrows don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as bur oak, chokecherry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Native Wyoming plants that attract song sparrows

Of the regional native plants we track for Wyoming, these 8 provide food or cover song sparrows use:

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta · Perennial

Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.

Common sunflower

Helianthus annuus · Perennial

Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium · Perennial

Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Feeding song sparrows through the Wyoming 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 Wyoming's winter: Cold, very windy winters.

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

Frequently asked

Are song sparrows in Wyoming year-round?

Yes. Song Sparrows are year-round residents in Wyoming.

When do song sparrows nest in Wyoming?

Nesting in Wyoming 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 Wyoming?

Bur oak, Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry are native plants in Wyoming that provide food or cover for song sparrows.

Other backyard birds in Wyoming

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

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.