Eurasian Tree Sparrow
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Cavity Nester ⌀ 1.1" Small

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

The chestnut-crowned, white-collared cousin of the House Sparrow - neat, both-sexes-identical, more rural and arboreal than its city-dwelling relative. UK Red-listed and dramatically declined across western Europe; still common across Asia, where it fills the urban niche House Sparrow occupies in Europe.

IUCN Red List
Least Concern

Widespread and abundant; no known immediate threats to the population.

Floor
4" × 4"
Interior height
8"
Entrance hole
⌀ 1.1"
Mount height
6–15 ft
Breeds
Apr–Aug
Broods / yr
2–3
Cool Facts

Things you didn't know about the Eurasian Tree Sparrow

01

Both sexes look identical - unusual in the sparrow family. House Sparrow males and females look quite different; Tree Sparrows are neat little carbon copies of each other, with the same chestnut crown, black cheek spot, and white collar regardless of sex. Even juveniles match the adults closely by their first autumn.

02

Swaps urban niches with House Sparrow across Eurasia. In Europe, House Sparrow dominates cities and Tree Sparrow takes the countryside. In East Asia, the roles reverse: Tree Sparrows are the urban birds, abundant on Tokyo, Beijing, and Seoul streets, while House Sparrow is either absent or scarce. Same species, completely different ecological role 8 000 km apart.

03

UK populations crashed more than 90 % from the 1970s peak. Farmland intensification - loss of hedgerows, autumn-sown crops replacing winter stubble, herbicide use clearing the weed-seed food supply - cut Tree Sparrow numbers from millions to tens of thousands. The species is UK Red-listed, and grouped nest boxes plus winter seed provision are the proven local recovery tools.

04

A small introduced population lives in St. Louis, Missouri. A handful of birds released in 1870 founded a population that's persisted but barely spread - they now occupy a roughly 200-mile radius of St. Louis through Illinois and Iowa, where they overlap awkwardly with House Sparrow and have stayed regionally confined for 150 years.

05

Colonial nesters with a strong preference for clustered cavities. Tree Sparrows pick sites with neighbours within sight - small 'colonies' of 5–20 pairs share hedgerows, walls, or barn complexes. Multi-chamber 'sparrow terraces' (3+ compartments per unit) outperform single boxes by a wide margin in conservation studies.

Attract Them

How to bring the Eurasian Tree Sparrow to your yard

Tree Sparrows respond strongly to grouped nest boxes plus a year-round seed supply. The cluster matters - solo boxes are often ignored, but a row of 3–6 boxes on the same fence or wall draws colonies in within a season or two if the local population isn't extinct.

Food

Mixed seed (millet, sunflower hearts, oat groats, niger), hung in feeders or scattered on a low tray. Winter seed provision is the single biggest help - UK studies tie population recovery directly to year-round seed availability in farming landscapes.

Box placement

A 28 mm-hole box, 2–4 m up on a wall, fence post, or mature tree. The 28 mm hole intentionally excludes House Sparrow (which uses 32 mm), so Tree Sparrows hold the cavity unchallenged. Group 3–6 boxes spaced 5–10 m apart on the same row for best uptake.

Cover & landscaping

Mature hedgerows, copses, or wooded field margins within 100 m of the box. Tree Sparrows commute short distances between nest and feeding sites; isolated boxes far from cover are rarely adopted.

Leave winter stubble, weedy field corners, or feeder seed available all winter. Tree Sparrows are non-migratory but susceptible to hard-winter mortality; supplemental seed bridges the bottleneck.

Competitors

The 28 mm hole keeps House Sparrow out. Tit competition (Blue, Great, Coal) is real - tits prospect from February while Tree Sparrows start in April, so the tits often hold the cavity. Group boxes so a Tree Sparrow pair displaced from one box has neighbours' options.

Avoid

Don't isolate single boxes in open habitat - they're a colonial species. Don't apply broad-spectrum herbicides on nearby field margins; weed seed is the main winter food. Don't enlarge the hole to 32 mm - that just hands the box to House Sparrows.

Range & Habitat

Where you'll find them

Native across the Palearctic from western Europe through to Japan, plus a small introduced North American population. Common and stable across Asia; sharply declined in northwest Europe - UK Red-listed - and patchy in Mediterranean Europe.

By region
  • British Isles

    UK Red List species; population down >90 % since the 1970s. Best remaining strongholds are East Anglia, Yorkshire, the Welsh borders, and parts of central Scotland - areas with surviving traditional mixed farming. Grouped nest boxes paired with winter seed plots make a measurable local difference.

  • Continental Europe

    Widespread but declining in northwest Europe (France, Germany, Low Countries); more stable in central and eastern Europe where traditional low-intensity farming persists. Mediterranean populations are patchy and tied to traditional orchards and vineyards.

  • Scandinavia, Baltic & Russia

    Resident breeder across Scandinavia, the Baltic states, Belarus, Ukraine, and European Russia. Northward range expansion in Norway and Sweden tracks milder winters. Wintering birds form mixed flocks with Greenfinches and Yellowhammers around farmsteads.

  • East Asia

    Abundant - fills the urban-sparrow niche that House Sparrow fills in Europe. Standard street bird in Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul, and most East Asian cities, where House Sparrow is either absent or scarce. Several local subspecies recognised.

  • North America (introduced)

    A small introduced population centred on St. Louis since 1870. Confined to roughly the St. Louis metropolitan area and adjacent farmland in Illinois and Iowa; has not expanded significantly despite 150+ years of opportunity.

Habitat preferences

Traditional mixed farmland with hedgerows, copses, and old buildings; village edges with orchards; wood-pasture and riverbank tree lines. Needs natural cavities (or boxes), nearby seed sources (weedy field margins, winter stubble, garden feeders), and breeding-season insects for chicks. Avoids dense forest interior, treeless monoculture cropland, and high mountains.

traditional farmland with hedgerows village edges and orchards wood-pasture and copses riverbank tree lines
10-year local observation heatmap. Click a season above to isolate one band.
Fledgemade Kit

The right house for the Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Size S

Small body + 1⅛" panel

Body sized to 4"×4" floor. The 1⅛" panel locks out larger nest competitors while letting the Eurasian Tree Sparrow pass cleanly.

Multi-color presets
Color
Entrance hole size
$39
Customize colors - +$5
Seasonal Care

When to install. When to clean.

Install by
Autumn (Sep–Nov) so the box weathers and is in place for early-spring prospecting.
Cleaning
September or between broods if accessible.
Winter use
Yes, overnight roosts
British Isles
UK Red List species - population fell more than 90 % from the 1970s peak. Best chance is in traditional mixed farming areas: East Anglia, Yorkshire, the Welsh borders. Nest boxes in groups make a measurable local difference.
Continental Europe
Common across France, Germany, Central Europe, and the Balkans wherever traditional low-intensity agriculture remains. Less heavily declined than UK populations.
Scandinavia & Baltic
Resident year-round in farmland and village edges. Northward range expansion in Norway and Sweden tracks milder winters.
East Asia
Abundant - fills the urban niche that House Sparrow holds in Europe. The dominant sparrow in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cities, where House Sparrow is largely absent.
North America (introduced)
A small introduced population centred on St. Louis, Missouri since 1870. Has spread modestly into Illinois and Iowa but remains regionally restricted.

Colonial - pairs prefer clusters of nest sites with neighbours within sight. Multi-chambered nest boxes ('sparrow terraces') with 3+ compartments work better than single units.