American Tree Sparrows migrate south from the boreal forest each winter with a hearty appetite for white millet, small seeds, and cracked corn. They forage on the ground in loose flocks, often mixing with juncos and other sparrows. A generous scattering of millet is the simplest way to keep them coming back all winter long.

Keep it low and open for these ground-loving sparrows. A platform feeder or ground tray stocked with millet and a fine seed blend is your best bet. They'll also happily pick through seed that's fallen beneath hanging feeders, so placing a catch tray underneath a tube feeder can do double duty.

These winter visitors love yards with brushy edges, meadow patches, and dense shrub borders. A weedy field edge or unmowed strip along your property line is prime Tree Sparrow habitat. Brush piles and dense thickets provide the sheltered ground-level cover they need between feeding bouts. If you have a garden, leave spent seed heads on flowers like coneflower and black-eyed Susan through winter — Tree Sparrows will forage on them naturally alongside your feeder offerings.

Start with the right food, keep feeding consistent, and create a space birds feel safe returning to again and again.

Small changes in food, feeder choice, and consistency can make a big difference.