White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
They exist in two color morphs—white-striped and tan-striped—and almost always mate with the opposite morph.
- Scientific name
- Zonotrichia albicollis
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Passerellidae › Zonotrichia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Boreal forests, coniferous woods, and brushy edges; winters in thickets and suburban gardens.
- Diet
- Omnivorous: primarily seeds and berries, supplemented by insects during the breeding season.
- Range
- Canada, United States, Mexico
- Size
- 15-19 cm length; 22-32 g weight
- Lifespan
- 9-14 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, window collisions, and predation by domestic cats.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and shy. Best observed from a distance with binoculars to avoid causing stress. If you find one stunned by a window strike, place it in a dark, ventilated box and contact a local wildlife rehabilitator.
The white-throated sparrow ( Zonotrichia albicollis ) is a passerine bird of the American sparrow family Passerellidae.
Photo: Shenandoah National Park, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), PD, via iNaturalist
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