White-Throated Sparrow

Appearance:

Length: 6.3–7.1 in
Weight: 0.8-1.1 oz
Wingspan: 7.9-9.1 in

Crisp facial markings make the White-throated Sparrow an attractive bird as well as a hopping, flying anatomy lesson. There’s the black eye stripe, the white crown and supercilium, the yellow lores, the white throat bordered by a black whisker, or malar stripe.

Habitat:

White-throated sparrows can be found foraging on the ground or close to dense thickets. Migrating to Alabama from their breeding grounds in Canada they are most commonly seen in the fall, winter, and early spring.

Behavior:

White-throated sparrows readily visit feeders, especially those placed near brush or thickets. Two varieties of the white-throated sparrow exist: white crowned and tan crowned. The two forms are genetically determined and persist because individuals almost always mate with a partner of the opposite morph. Males of both colors prefer females with white stripes, and females of both colors prefer males with tan stripes. Despite being very different in appearance, White- throated sparrows will sometimes mate with Dark-eyed Juncos.