New York · Year-round resident

White-throated Sparrows in New York

When white-throated sparrows are present in New York, when they nest, which native New York plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.

New World sparrows (Passerellidae)White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis

Status in New York: Year-round resident
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–7b

When to expect white-throated sparrows in New York

White-throated Sparrows live in New York all year. Long, snowy winters upstate; lake-effect snow belts make feeders and roost boxes important. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward weed seeds, sumac and dogwood fruit.

Humid continental, from cold Adirondack highlands to the maritime-moderated coast of Long Island.

Nesting in New York

Across New York, white-throated sparrows typically nest from May–July. Nest site: cup on or near the ground in forest openings and bogs. Females lay 3–5 eggs, incubate for 11–14 days, and young leave the nest after 7–12 days.

Warm summers with a shorter nesting season upstate than downstate.

White-throated Sparrows don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as winterberry, arrowwood viburnum, flowering dogwood for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native New York plants that attract white-throated sparrows

Of the regional native plants we track for New York, these 8 provide food or cover white-throated sparrows use:

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Winter fruit.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and insect cover.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta · Perennial

Fall seed.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina · Shrub

Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Feeding white-throated sparrows through the New York year

White-throats scratch under feeders near thickets; brush piles hold them all winter.

Best foods: Millet, Hulled sunflower, Cracked corn.
In New York's winter: Long, snowy winters upstate; lake-effect snow belts make feeders and roost boxes important.

Full diet breakdown for white-throated sparrows · Best feeder for white-throated sparrows

Frequently asked

Are white-throated sparrows in New York year-round?

Yes. White-throated Sparrows are year-round residents in New York.

When do white-throated sparrows nest in New York?

Nesting in New York typically runs May–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 11–14 days.

What native plants attract white-throated sparrows in New York?

Winterberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Black-eyed Susan, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac are native plants in New York that provide food or cover for white-throated sparrows.

Other backyard birds in New York

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Fox Sparrow

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.