Diet
What do song sparrows eat?
Insects in summer; seeds in fall and winter.
New World sparrows (Passerellidae)Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
Spring and summer diet
- Beetles, caterpillars and grasshoppers
Fall and winter diet
- Weed and grass seeds
Best feeder foods
- Millet
- Hulled sunflower
- Cracked corn
Song Sparrows feed at the edge of shrubbery and are among the first birds singing in late winter.
Where song sparrows need winter food
Regions where song sparrows are present in the cold months:
AlabamaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Frequently asked
What do song sparrows eat?
Insects in summer; seeds in fall and winter.
What is the best food to feed song sparrows?
Millet, Hulled sunflower, Cracked corn.
What do song sparrows eat in winter?
Weed and grass seeds.
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
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.