🤍 White-throated Sparrow — Ep 42/59

Start at the face: the yellow spot between eye and bill sits beside a black-and-white striped crown and a clean white throat. The rest is brown above and gray below; look for two white wingbars on rich reddish-brown wings, a gray bill, and a long narrow tail. Adults come in white-striped and tan-striped color forms rather than separate male and female plumages; juveniles are browner and show breast streaking. 12

At 6.3–7.1 inches (16–18 cm), 0.8–1.1 ounces (22–32 g), and 7.9–9.1 inches (20–23 cm) across the wings, it is a little larger than a Song Sparrow. It stays close to the ground, scratching through leaves in woods, brushy edges, thickets, and backyards—exactly where a quick low flight can disappear into cover. 13

The song is a thin, wavering whistle: "Old Sam Peabody Peabody Peabody" or "Oh-Sweet-Canada-Canada-Canada." Treat it as the song; a sharp chip is an alert call. White-throated Sparrows may sing even in winter, often from a conspicuous perch. 24

For the winter-sparrow split: White-crowned Sparrow has the bold crown but lacks the yellow lores and white throat; Song Sparrow is bulkier with thick, blurry breast streaks. On the Pacific Coast, Golden-crowned Sparrow adds a golden crown stripe instead. 5