Zonotrichia albicollis
The White-throated Sparrow (*Zonotrichia albicollis*) is a strikingly patterned New World sparrow, instantly recognizable by its bold head stripes and a brilliant white throat patch. Measuring approximately 15-18 cm (6-7 inches) in length with a wingspan of 21-23 cm (8-9 inches) and weighing 22-30 grams (0.8-1.1 ounces), this species exhibits two distinct color morphs: 'white-striped' with crisp white and black head stripes, and 'tan-striped' with buffy-brown and dark brown stripes, both feat...
This species primarily inhabits brushy areas, forest edges, open deciduous and coniferous woodlands, and regenerating clear-cuts, typically found from low to mid-elevations.
Their diet consists primarily of seeds, especially during winter, supplemented heavily with insects, spiders, and other invertebrates during the breeding season, and occasionally berries and buds.
White-throated Sparrows are diurnal, often observed foraging actively on the ground, employing a distinctive 'double-scratch' technique to unearth food from leaf litter. Males are highly vocal during the breeding season, establishing and defending territories with their famous, clear whistles, wh...
The White-throated Sparrow boasts a vast geographic distribution across North America. Its primary breeding range extends throughout the boreal forests of Canada, from Yukon and British Columbia eastward to Newfoundland, and south into the Great Lakes region and the northeastern United States, in...
Least Concern
- White-throated Sparrows come in two distinct color morphs, 'white-striped' and 'tan-striped,' determined by a single gene, and they almost exclusively mate with a bird of the opposite morph. - The white-striped morphs are typically more aggressive and sing more frequently than the tan-striped m...