White-throated Sparrow Photo Gallery
Adult
Large, plump sparrow with long tail and fairly small bill. Bold face pattern with black and white crown stripes, yellow spot between eye and bill, and neat white throat patch on gray face and breast.
© Keenan Yakola / Macaulay LibraryMaine, May 04, 2015Adult
Large, plump sparrow with long tail and small bill. In "tan-striped" form, individuals have lower contrast head pattern with brown stripes on the head instead of white. Often found among "white-striped" individuals.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, October 31, 2016Adult
Sings a melancholy whistle that sounds like "Oh-Sweet-Canada-Canada" or "Old-Sam-Peabody-Peabody."
© Peter Hawrylyshyn / Macaulay LibraryOntario, July 11, 2020Not all videos have soundImmature
Large, plump sparrow with small bill and rounded head. Immatures have brown-and-black head stripes, less yellow before the eye, and faint streaks on the breast.
© Ryan Sanderson / Macaulay LibraryIndiana, December 09, 2019Adult
Tan-striped and white-striped individuals almost always mate with individuals of the opposite form.
© Jonathan Irons / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, January 24, 2020Adults with Dark-eyed Junco
Readily visits feeders or pecks at fallen seeds beneath them. Eats millet and sunflower seeds.
© Matthew D. Medler / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 27, 2014Not all videos have soundAdult
Large sparrow with small grayish bill. Upperparts are reddish brown with dark brown streaks. Underparts grayish with neat white throat patch.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, July 07, 2017Adult
White throat sometimes outline with black line. Two white wingbars on rich reddish brown wings.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, May 13, 2017Adult
Hops along the ground, scratching at the surface to uncover insects and seeds. This video has no audio.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryOhio, May 01, 1997Not all videos have soundJuvenile
Juveniles are brownish overall with heavy streaking on the breast.
© Jacques Ibarzabal / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, August 11, 2018Adult
Typically found on or near the ground in forests with dense shrubby understory.
© Anita Morales / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, July 16, 2017Adult
Often scratches at the ground with a double hop to uncover insects and seeds.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 10, 2011Not all videos have soundFlock
Often seen in small flocks on the ground during migration and the winter.
© Michael Stubblefield / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, December 19, 2020Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
New World Sparrows(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Passerellidae)
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