Warblers, Sparrows, Finches & Blackbirds
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
A handsome sparrow that arrives in large numbers in winter, scratching through leaf litter under shrubs and feeders.
How to identify it
- Striped head (white-striped or tan-striped forms)
- Bright white throat bordered by gray
- Small yellow spot between the eye and the bill
- Clear whistled song: "Oh-sweet-Canada-Canada-Canada"
SizeBetween a Song Sparrow and an American Robin
Carolina Chickadee4 in
Song Sparrow6 in
White-throated Sparrow7 in
American Robin10 in
6 inAverage length, bill to tail
Details
- Size
- 6.5–7 in long; wingspan 8–9 in
- Weight
- 0.8–1.1 oz
- Habitat
- Woodland edges, thickets, yards and feeders
- When to see it
- Winter visitor across the East and South, including the Carolinas; breeds in Canada and the far North
- Diet
- Seeds, berries, insects
Range in the United States
Life history
Food
Scratches through leaf litter for seeds, fruits and insects.
Nesting
A cup on or near the ground in dense cover in northern forests.
- Clutch
- 3–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 11–14 days
- Young
- Fledge at about 7–12 days
- Broods
- 1 per year
Behavior
Winter flocks forage under shrubs and feeders and give sharp "chink" calls.
Conservation
Common, though declining slowly.
Cool facts
- White-striped and tan-striped birds almost always pair with the opposite form.
- Its song is often written as "Oh-sweet-Canada-Canada."
- It often sings even in winter.
Songs & calls
▶Bird sounds video coming soon
Watch the White-throated Sparrow
▶Video coming soon
