Attract House Sparrows: 7 Steps for UK Gardens

To attract house sparrows, give them thick cover, a group of nest boxes, insects for their chicks and seed through the winter. Sparrows do everything as a gang, so a garden has to suit a small crowd rather than a single pair.

House sparrows used to be everywhere, but many towns and gardens have lost them. Fewer nest sites under the eaves, tidier gardens and fewer insects have all played a part. House sparrows are now on the UK Red List of birds of conservation concern. The good news is that a few changes in one garden can make a real difference. For the basics that suit every garden bird, start with the guide on how to attract birds to your garden.

Step 1: Plant a thick hedge or dense shrubs

Sparrows spend most of their day in thick cover, chattering, preening and hiding from sparrowhawks. A dense hedge is the single best thing you can give them.

Aim for a hedge or shrubs at least 1.5m tall, close to where you feed. A mixed native hedge of hawthorn, blackthorn, holly and field maple is ideal. Privet, pyracantha and other evergreen shrubs work well too, and thick climbers on a wall help in small gardens.

Plant bare-root hedging from November to March. Plant about five per metre in a staggered double row for a thick hedge. The hedge planting guide covers the method, and the native hedgerow species guide helps you choose the mix.

A thick hawthorn hedge gives sparrows cover, a place to gather and plenty of insects in spring.

Step 2: Put up nest boxes in groups

House sparrows nest in colonies. A single box on its own is often ignored, so put up three or more close together. A sparrow terrace, one box with three nest chambers, is an easy way to do it.

The entrance hole should be 32mm. A smaller hole keeps sparrows out, and a larger one lets starlings move in. Fix boxes high up, ideally under the eaves or an overhang, where rain can’t drive in. Face them somewhere between north and east, out of the hot afternoon sun.

Put boxes up in autumn or winter so they’re ready for spring. Clean them out in autumn once the last chicks have gone.

A terrace box gives several pairs a home side by side, which is just how sparrows like to nest.

Step 3: Grow insects for the chicks

This is the step most gardens miss. Adult sparrows eat lots of seed, but their chicks are fed mostly on insects: caterpillars, aphids, beetles and flies.

• Grow plants that feed caterpillars. A sunny patch of nettles feeds peacock and small tortoiseshell butterfly caterpillars. Native shrubs like hawthorn and hazel are full of insects in spring. The guide to the best plants for butterflies has more ideas.
• Leave some aphids. A few greenfly on the roses are sparrow chick food. Squash them only where they’re doing real harm.
• Skip insecticides, especially from April to August when chicks are in the nest.
• Leave a wild corner with long grass and leaf litter for beetles and spiders.

A caterpillar for the chicks. Without insects nearby, sparrow parents struggle to raise a brood.

Step 4: Feed seed through autumn and winter

From autumn to early spring, insects are scarce and sparrows lean on seed. Sunflower hearts are the best choice. There are no husks, so less mess and less wasted effort for the birds.

Keep the feeder a couple of metres from the hedge. The flock can dash for cover, but cats can’t hide right underneath.

Sparrows also love a good seed mix with millet. Avoid cheap mixes bulked out with wheat and split peas, which get flicked onto the ground. Sparrows happily feed on the ground or on a low tray, as well as from hanging feeders.

Put food about 2m from the hedge so the flock can dash into cover, and spread it across two or three spots to cut squabbles. Keep feeders clean to stop disease spreading through the flock. The bird feeding guide by season shows what to offer through the year.

Step 5: Add shallow water

Sparrows drink every day and love a splash, even in winter. A shallow bird bath brings them in quickly.

A wide, shallow bath lets the whole gang bathe at once. Rinse and refill it every couple of days.

Choose one with gently sloping sides, no deeper than about 5cm, so several birds can stand in it at once. Put it within a few metres of cover. Rinse and refill it every couple of days, and break the ice on frosty mornings. Never add salt or antifreeze. The guide to bird bath placement and cleaning has more tips.

Step 6: Make a dust bath

Sparrows love a dust bath. They wriggle into dry soil to keep their feathers in good condition and to get rid of mites. It’s free, easy and something most gardens lack.

Choose a sunny, sheltered spot near cover. Clear a patch about 40-50cm across and loosen the top few centimetres of soil. Mix in some dry sand or sieved soil so it stays fine and crumbly. If space is tight, fill a large, shallow plant saucer with dry sand. Keep it dry: a wet dust bath won’t get used.

A patch of dry, crumbly soil in the sun is all sparrows need for a dust bath. Expect a lot of happy fluttering.

Step 7: Go easy on garden chemicals

Every insecticide spray means fewer caterpillars for sparrow chicks. A garden with fewer chemicals is a garden with more food.

• Skip slug pellets if you can. Use beer traps, barriers and evening torch hunts instead.
• Avoid insecticides, particularly while chicks are being fed.
• Weed by hand and mulch instead of using weedkillers in borders.

Over a season or two, ladybirds, hoverflies and ground beetles build up and keep most pests in check.

What sparrows need and the easiest fix

Month-by-month sparrow calendar

Common mistakes when attracting sparrows

1. One nest box on its own. Sparrows like neighbours. Put up three or more boxes, or a terrace box.
2. The wrong hole size. A 28mm hole is too small for sparrows. A 45mm hole lets starlings in. Stick to 32mm.
3. A garden that’s too tidy. Neat lawns and weed-free borders have few insects. Leave a wild corner.
4. Seed but no insects. Feeders keep adults going, but chicks need insects to grow.
5. Feeders next to cat cover. Keep a couple of metres of open ground between feeders and the hedge base so cats can’t ambush.
6. Cutting hedges in spring and summer. Sparrows nest from April to August. It is an offence to damage or destroy an active nest, so check the legal hedge cutting dates first.

New boxes may not be used in their first year, so be patient. Sparrows under your eaves? Meet their summer neighbours in the guide to house martins and their nests. There are more ideas in the wildlife section.

Frequently asked questions

Why have house sparrows disappeared from UK gardens?

Fewer nest sites and fewer insects are the main reasons. Newer homes and repaired roofs leave fewer gaps under the eaves. Tidy gardens with paving and few hedges have less cover and fewer insects for chicks. House sparrows are now on the UK Red List of birds of conservation concern.

What size hole do house sparrow nest boxes need?

House sparrows need a 32mm entrance hole. Smaller holes keep them out, and bigger ones let starlings in. Put up three or more boxes together, or a single “terrace” box with three holes. Fix them high up under the eaves, out of strong sun.

Do house sparrows migrate from UK gardens?

No, house sparrows stay in the UK all year. They rarely move far from where they hatched. That’s why a local colony can stay for years if it has food, cover and nest sites. It also means a lost colony is slow to come back.

What do baby house sparrows eat?

Sparrow chicks are fed mostly on insects. Parents bring caterpillars, aphids, beetles and other small creatures, even when there’s seed nearby. A garden with feeders but few insects can feed adults but struggles to raise young.

Can I attract sparrows to a small UK garden?

Yes, small gardens can work well for sparrows. They need thick cover close to food and water. A dense hedge or shrubs along one fence, a feeder and a bird bath is a good start. A terrace nest box high on the house wall completes the setup.