Bird Gallery Index

White-throated Sparrow (tan morph)
© Greg Lavaty

Family: (Emberizidae) New World Sparrows

Preferred Habitat: Woodland undergrowth

Seasonal Occurrence: Common November through April

Notes by Glenn Olsen: The White-throated Sparrow is one of my many favorite sparrows that winter on the Upper Texas Coast. It is one of the larger native sparrows, about 6 ¾ inches long with a wingspan of 9 inches. First winter birds may appear like other sparrows, brownish with streaking and difficult to identify. But the adult plumaged birds are quite distinctive with their usually bright white throat in sharp contrast to a gray breast and a black and white striped crown. The bright yellow supraloral spots are striking. One of the aspects of sparrow identification that makes them fun and challenging is that many of them appear to be very similar – generally brownish with streaking. And the White-throated Sparrow has a tan-stripe form which is more difficult to identify than the white stripe form. This form is generally light brownish and lacks the high contrast of the crown and throat. This species breeds in the north-central and northeastern US and most of Canada. It winters throughout the eastern and southwestern US, arriving in Texas in October, and is common here until the end of April. One can find White-throated Sparrows around woodland edges, woodland clearings, brush piles or in dense thickets. Our wooded county or state parks are good locations to find this species. The song is beautiful and distinctive, having a pure, loud whistle that has the mnemonic of "Pure Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada". When you hear this bell-ringing, clear song on a crisp morning it is enough to make you love sparrows.

White-throated Sparrow (White morph)
© David McDonald

[Editor's Note: See chart of fall occurrence for White-throated Sparrows on the Upper Texas Coast, prepared by Don Verser, for more information.]