Sparrows can be a challenge to identify for birders of any skill level. Some of the most widespread sparrows can look very similar. Even so, there are tricks you can use to tell these sparrows apart! Can you tell which bird in this group is the White-throated Sparrow?
Did you get a good look? Check out the answer by scrolling down...
That's right, C was the correct answer!
A: Savannah Sparrow
B: Grasshopper Sparrow
C: White-throated Sparrow
D: Vesper Sparrow
A: A Savannah Sparrow often has a yellow eyebrow and pale stripe on the center of its crown like the White-throated Sparrow does, but the streaks at the sides of the crown aren't as dark. Savannah Sparrows also have shorter tails, are less plump, and lack the gray cheek and chest of a White-throated Sparrow.
B: The Grasshopper Sparrow has a spot of yellow over the eye, but it lacks the clearly defined white throat patch and streaked belly of a White-throated Sparrow. It has a dark patch behind its eye, but no strong dark line through the eye to the bill. It also has a flatter head than a White-throated Sparrow.
C: Yes! This is our White-throated Sparrow. This is a plump little bird with a long tail, bold stripes of black (or sometimes brown) and white from bill to crown, a yellow spot at the brow, sooty cheek and chest, and namesake white throat.
D: Vesper Sparrows share many traits with the other sparrows here, but they don't have a yellow splotch at the brow. They also have a white eyering that White-throated sparrows lack. If you see a Vesper Sparrow in the wild, you might also notice its white outer tail feathers, visible in flight!
So how did you do? Check out the resources below for even more Sparrow ID information!
There are 43 species of New World sparrows commonly found in the United States and Canada, and many of them are difficult to tell apart! Learn the keys to ID for the Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Vesper Sparrow in this free article from Living Bird Magazine.
Whether you're at home or out in the field, these helpful four-sheet sparrow reference guides have full-color photos of eastern, central, western and widespread sparrows. You can download, print out, and bring these guides with you, courtesy of the Cornell Lab's Macaulay Library and Bird Academy