Northeast · Atlantic Flyway
Sparrows in Rhode Island
Sparrows in Rhode Island come down to 18 species with regular eBird records, led by the Song Sparrow. Together they account for 185,763 of the 2.3 million eBird records from 2020–2024 — 8.1% of everything reported in the state.
The full list: Song Sparrow, House Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Saltmarsh Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Nelson's Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow and Lark 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 Rhode Island: 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) — 74,684 records, 3.3% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
2. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) — 34,168 records, 1.5% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
3. White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) — 28,493 records, 1.2% of the state’s eBird total; a winter visitor, present mainly from October to April and peaking in December.
4. Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) — 18,268 records, 0.8% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from April to October and peaking in May.
5. Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) — 7,315 records, 0.3% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in October, November and December with a peak in October.
6. Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) — 6,706 records, 0.3% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in September, October and November with a peak in October.
7. Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) — 5,585 records, 0.2% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
8. Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) — 3,115 records, 0.1% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from June to August and peaking in July.
9. American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) — 2,375 records, 0.1% of the state’s eBird total; a winter visitor, present mainly from November to February and peaking in December.
10. Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) — 1,215 records, 0.05% of the state’s eBird total; a winter visitor, present mainly from November to March and peaking in December.
11. White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) — 896 records, 0.04% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in October with a peak in October.
12. Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima) — 852 records, 0.04% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from June to August and peaking in July.
The remaining 6 species — Lincoln's Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Nelson's Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow and Lark Sparrow — are recorded regularly but in smaller numbers; see the cards above for their status.
When to see sparrows in Rhode Island
Adding up every species’ share of state eBird records month by month, sparrows are most prominent in October, April and December and least in August and September. 3 of the 18 species are year-round — Song Sparrow, House Sparrow and Field Sparrow — so there is no month without them.
Summer visitors. Chipping Sparrow arrives around April and is mostly gone after October (peak May); Saltmarsh Sparrow arrives around June and is mostly gone after August (peak July); Seaside Sparrow arrives around June and is mostly gone after August (peak July).
Winter visitors. White-throated Sparrow arrives around October and leaves after April (peak December); American Tree Sparrow arrives around November and leaves after February (peak December); Fox Sparrow arrives around November and leaves after March (peak December); Vesper Sparrow arrives around April and leaves after April (peak February).
Passage migrants. Swamp Sparrow is reported mainly in October, November and December; Savannah Sparrow is reported mainly in September, October and November; White-crowned Sparrow is reported mainly in October; Lincoln's Sparrow is reported mainly in September and October; Grasshopper Sparrow is reported mainly in May and June; Nelson's Sparrow is reported mainly in October.
Attracting sparrows to Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island the sparrow most likely to turn up is the Song Sparrow, a year-round resident, followed by the House Sparrow. Its own page covers month-by-month activity and attraction tips for this state.
Sparrows in Rhode Island: FAQ
How many species of sparrows are there in Rhode Island?
18 species of sparrows have regular eBird records in Rhode Island (at least 25 records in 2020–2024): Song Sparrow, House Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Saltmarsh Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Nelson's Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow and Lark Sparrow.
What is the most common sparrow in Rhode Island?
The Song Sparrow, with 74,684 eBird records in 2020–2024, followed by the House Sparrow with 34,168. It is a year-round resident, reported in every month.
When is the best time to see sparrows in Rhode Island?
October, April and December, when the combined share of Rhode Island eBird records belonging to sparrows is highest. Summer visitors such as the Chipping Sparrow arrive around April. Winter visitors such as the White-throated Sparrow arrive around October.
More birds in Rhode Island
Sparrows in other states
Sparrows in Rhode Island: 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: Rhode Island 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.