White-throated Sparrow Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesWhite-throated Sparrow
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 sound
Immature
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 sound
Adult
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 sound
Juvenile
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 sound
Flock
Often seen in small flocks on the ground during migration and the winter.
© Michael Stubblefield / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, December 19, 2020Similar SpeciesWhite-crowned Sparrow
Adult
Adult White-crowned Sparrows have no yellow on the head and no white throat patch.
© Michel Bourque / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, January 13, 2017Similar SpeciesWhite-crowned Sparrow
Immature
Immature White-crowned Sparrows have reddish-brown stripes on the head, whereas immature White-throated Sparrows have blackish head stripes and a neat white throat patch.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 05, 2011Similar SpeciesGolden-crowned Sparrow
Adult
Golden-crowned Sparrows have no white on the head, have yellow in the crown, and lack White-throated Sparrow's white throat patch.
© George Pagos / Macaulay LibraryWashington, April 25, 2017Similar SpeciesGolden-crowned Sparrow
Immature
Immature Golden-crowned Sparrows lack the brown-black head stripes and white throat of immature White-throated Sparrows.
© Joshua Covill / Macaulay LibraryWashington, December 03, 2016Similar SpeciesSong Sparrow
Adult (Eastern)
Song Sparrows can resemble “tan-striped” White-throated Sparrows, but are much more heavily streaked below and have no yellow on the face.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryVermont, May 22, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
New World Sparrows(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Passerellidae)
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