Chipping Sparrow Question? - Metro Area

[corvidcolo]

Hi COBIRDERS,

Where: Suburban neighborhoods just west of the Denver Tech Center, Arapahoe County

When: First 3 week of June 2025

I have found a number of adult Chipping Sparrows in our neighborhoods and parks each week of June this year. They should already be nesting up in the Ponderosa Pine forests of the Front Range.

Today I found one "carrying food".

Question: Are others also finding Chipping Sparrows seemingly nesting in the Metro Area this year or in the last couple of years.

As Bob Righter pointed out a bunch of years ago, at that point Red-breasted Nuthatches had become year round residents of the Metro Area. The same with Bushtits. Are we now seeing a change with Chipping Sparrows?

Thanks, Chris Blakeslee
Corvi...@aol.com

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Chris et al,

Chipping sparrows have nested in small numbers for most years in the last10 at Grandview Cemetery in urban Fort Collins (elevation about 5000’ ASL). Other occasional but regular foothills species nesting at Grandview have been Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Western Wood-Pewees and Bushtits. A Western Tanager nested at Grandview a few years ago, as did a Red Crossbill. I think all of this is influenced by habitat maturation and climate change, probably mostly the former.  The recent increased reporting of Western Flycatchers at low elevation seems part of this phenomenon, also.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins

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From: 'corvidcolo' via Colorado Birds <cob...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2025 5:04:15 PM
To: Colorado Birds <cob...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [cobirds] Chipping Sparrow Question? - Metro Area

 

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[Leann Joswick]

I have seen and heard CHSP in my yard in Highlands Ranch all throughout the spring and summer for the past two years. Just the other day I saw an adult with a juvie tagging along. 

LeAnn Joswick

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On Jun 22, 2025, at 5:17 PM, DAVID A LEATHERMAN <daleat...@msn.com> wrote:



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[David Suddjian]

Chipping Sparrow has nested for years at the Littleton Cemetery in Arapahoe Co, where the combo of open lawn and tall well-spaced conifers meets their liking. When I was often in Littleton proper from 2014-2022 I noticed Chipping Sparrows were sparsely, somewhat sporadically, but regularly present as breeders in varied spots in neighborhoods along the Prince Street corridor of Littleton.

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO

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[Diana Beatty]

Just yesterday I saw and heard Western Flycatchers in the Old North End neighborhood of Colorado Springs.  A few years ago there was a Dark-Eyed Juncos nest at a high school on the West side of town.   At my house southeast of town we have sometimes had nesting Mountain Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches.

Diana Beatty
El Paso County

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[Van Rudd]

I have a much shorter observational window at Cowboy Park in Louisville where I had never observed a CHSP since 2020 until this spring whereupon I’ve observed and heard a male singing constantly as well as seen him with a female. I think I know where the nest is and will be looking for offspring. 

Van Rudd

Louisville, CO

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On Jun 22, 2025, at 20:06, David Suddjian <dsud...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Nicolle Martin]

Yes; in my experience they are nesting here in Littleton. They built a nest in a ponderosa, at least 15-20 feet off the ground in a neighbor’s backyard. At least one baby fell out and later died. Another that was definitively older was also found out of the nest, but it had more mature feathers and open eyes. I suspect it came from a different nest, as I saw at least 3 adults when I was attempting to help the other baby. 

Nicolle Martin

Ken Caryl, CO 

On Sun, Jun 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM 'corvidcolo' via Colorado Birds <cob...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

[Tina Jones]

I have had nesting Chipping Sparrows in my neighborhood for at least 3 years. I live in Bow Mar,[Littleton], one block away from Denver. They have been nesting in non-native juniper shrubs which are around three feet in height. I see the parent flying into the shrubs with food. Last year,2024, three young came to my bird bath, which was fun to watch. ONE Chipping Sparrow spent a whole winter in my YARD from 2023-2024.

There are many non- native Juniper shrubs, along with plants that form habitats with different vegetation heights of plants in my neighborhood. I have tiered clumps of plantings. No Chipping Sparrow has nested on my property yet, but I keep hoping.

 

Tina Jones

Littleton, Jefferson county, CO

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[linda hodges]

All,

With the advance of climate change, I'd expected bird species to be moving to higher altitudes, not lower. Regarding the Chipping Sparrow and other species that Dave mentioned, plus the Western Flycatchers that have moved into urban Colorado Springs, is the movement primarily food related?

Dave, and others, what are your thoughts? 

Linda Hodges

Colorado Springs

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[J V Rudd]

The pair near my house in Louisville are nesting in a spruce tree that is about 12 years old (it was planted when our neighborhood was developed). Perhaps the presence of nuthatches, chipping sparrows, and their ilk is due to the increase in suitable habitat, which is accompanied by suitable food sources? More evergreens around the metro area equals more montaine bird species? 

Van Rudd

Louisville, CO

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[Lea Ann Brown]

Before we moved from our old house in Central Highlands Ranch, 10 years ago, there were several pairs of Chipping Sparrows that nested in pines every year in open space, just west of Highlands Ranch Mansion.

We now live a couple miles Northeast of that location near Dad Clark Gulch. Highlands Ranch Parkway/University vicinity. For the first time in 10 years, We had a calling Chipping Sparrow in a deciduous tree in front of our house. He sang for almost three weeks and now I’ve not heard him for a few days. I’m assuming he’s moved one.

Lea Ann Brown

Highlands Ranch, CO

Douglas County

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[Paula Hansley]

Lea Ann,

Or he and his mate may be nesting and have eggs!  No reason to keep singing.

Paula Hansley

Louisville 

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