Midwest · Mississippi Flyway
Sparrows in Michigan
Sparrows in Michigan come down to 20 species with regular eBird records, led by the Song Sparrow. Together they account for 1,406,751 of the 20 million eBird records from 2020–2024 — 7.2% of everything reported in the state.
The full list: Song Sparrow, House Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Field Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Le Conte's Sparrow and Nelson's Sparrow. Sparrows are the streaky brown birds that spend most of their time on or near the ground. The group mixes year-round residents, winter visitors from the north, and one introduced species — the House Sparrow — that lives almost entirely around people.
Sparrows in Michigan: every species, most-reported first
Every sparrow with at least 25 eBird records in the state from 2020–2024, most-reported first. The status label is derived from each species’ own monthly share of all state records.
1. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) — 404,775 records, 2.1% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from March to October and peaking in July.
2. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) — 326,363 records, 1.7% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
3. Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) — 156,272 records, 0.8% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from April to August and peaking in June.
4. White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) — 124,674 records, 0.6% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in April, May, September and October with a peak in October.
5. American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) — 102,689 records, 0.5% of the state’s eBird total; a winter visitor, present mainly from November to March and peaking in January.
6. Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) — 75,253 records, 0.4% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from April to October and peaking in October.
7. Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) — 69,629 records, 0.4% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from April to October and peaking in June.
8. White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) — 51,054 records, 0.3% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in May and October with a peak in October.
9. Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) — 39,510 records, 0.2% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from April to October and peaking in June.
10. Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) — 14,931 records, 0.08% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in March, April, October and November with a peak in November.
11. Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) — 12,102 records, 0.06% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from April to July and peaking in June.
12. Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) — 11,871 records, 0.06% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in May, September and October with a peak in October.
The remaining 8 species — Clay-colored Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Le Conte's Sparrow and Nelson's Sparrow — are recorded regularly but in smaller numbers; see the cards above for their status.
When to see sparrows in Michigan
Adding up every species’ share of state eBird records month by month, sparrows are most prominent in October, April and July and least in September and August. 1 of the 20 species is year-round — House Sparrow — so there is no month without them.
Summer visitors. Song Sparrow arrives around March and is mostly gone after October (peak July); Chipping Sparrow arrives around April and is mostly gone after August (peak June); Swamp Sparrow arrives around April and is mostly gone after October (peak October); Field Sparrow arrives around April and is mostly gone after October (peak June); Savannah Sparrow arrives around April and is mostly gone after October (peak June); Vesper Sparrow arrives around April and is mostly gone after July (peak June).
Winter visitors. American Tree Sparrow arrives around November and leaves after March (peak January).
Passage migrants. White-throated Sparrow is reported mainly in April, May, September and October; White-crowned Sparrow is reported mainly in May and October; Fox Sparrow is reported mainly in March, April, October and November; Lincoln's Sparrow is reported mainly in May, September and October; Harris's Sparrow is reported mainly in October; Eurasian Tree Sparrow is reported mainly in April, May and June.
Attracting sparrows to Michigan backyards
Sparrows feed on the ground, so scatter millet or cracked corn under a feeder or on a low platform rather than in a hanging tube. Brush piles and unmown corners give them the cover they need to stay.
In Michigan the sparrow most likely to turn up is the Song Sparrow. Its own page covers month-by-month activity and attraction tips for this state.
Sparrows in Michigan: FAQ
How many species of sparrows are there in Michigan?
20 species of sparrows have regular eBird records in Michigan (at least 25 records in 2020–2024): Song Sparrow, House Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Field Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Le Conte's Sparrow and Nelson's Sparrow.
What is the most common sparrow in Michigan?
The Song Sparrow, with 404,775 eBird records in 2020–2024, followed by the House Sparrow with 326,363. It is a summer visitor, present mainly from March to October and peaking in July.
When is the best time to see sparrows in Michigan?
October, April and July, when the combined share of Michigan eBird records belonging to sparrows is highest. Summer visitors such as the Song Sparrow arrive around March. Winter visitors such as the American Tree Sparrow arrive around November.
More birds in Michigan
Sparrows in other states
Sparrows in Michigan: sources
Every number on this page comes from the EOD – eBird Observation Dataset published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and distributed through GBIF under a CC BY 4.0 license: Michigan records from 2020–2024, retrieved 2026-09-18. Species are drawn from the families Passerellidae and Passeridae; only species with at least 25 records are listed, and a species is called a year-round resident when its monthly share of state records stays above 30% of its own peak in ten or more months. “Records” are individual eBird observations, so they reflect how often birders report a species, not a population count.