White-throated Sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

The White-throated Sparrow can have head stripes of either white (see photo to the right) or tan (see photo #1 on the bottom) alternating with black  Curiously, White-throated Sparrows nearly always mate with opposite sex members of the alternate color morph.  Other curious differences occur between the color morphs: 1) White-striped females sing, but tan-striped females do not, 2) white-striped males are generally more aggressive and do more singing than tan-striped males, and 3) tan-striped male and white-striped female pairs tend to bond more quickly than the opposite combination.

Habitat: Woodlands, forest edges, residential areas, shelterbelts.

Diet: Primarily insects during the summer, seeds and berries in the fall and winter.  Will attend bird feeders for commonly offered seeds.

Behavior: Primarily forages on the ground, typically near or beneath thick vegetation. 

Breeding: Non-breeder in South Dakota.

Song: White-throated Sparrow Song, also White-throated Sparrow Call

Migration: Summers in New England, the Great Lakes Region, and much of Canada.  Winters in the southeastern third of the United States and points south.

Similar Species: White-crowned Sparrow

Bird Feeders: Will attend feeders for various seeds, strongly preferring tray feeders or seed scattered on the ground.

Conservation Status: Numbers appear to be stable.

Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, White-throated Sparrow

2) Cornell Lab of Ornithology - White-throated Sparrow

3) eNature.com - White-throated Sparrow

Photo Information: Both Photos: April 28th, 2003 -- Newton Hills State Park -- Terry Sohl

Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution White-throated Sparrow photos.