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Photo by Judd Patterson
Photo Copyright Judd Patterson
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G5
State (S-rank): S3S4N
External links
General information
The white-throated sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis, breeds in Canada and northeastern America, and winters in eastern America and along the west coast. It is rare in Utah during winter. It breeds in coniferous and mixed forests, and it utilizes a variety of habitats, especially those with thick cover, during migration and winter. Additionally, white-throated sparrows frequent urban areas more often than other sparrows do during the winter months. The diet of this species is composed of arthropods, seeds, and fruits.
The nest is normally constructed on the ground, but is sometimes constructed in a shrub or tree up to ten feet above the ground. The eggs, usually four or five, are incubated by the female parent for eleven to fourteen days (usually twelve). Both parents tend the nestlings, which leave the nest seven to twelve days after hatching, usually on the eighth or ninth day. This species is rarely parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds.
Species range
BREEDING: southeastern Yukon to Labrador, south to central British Columbia, southern Saskatchewan, Great Lakes region, West Virginia, and New Jersey. NON-BREEDING: southeastern Iowa to southern New England, south to northeastern Mexico, Gulf Coast, and southern Florida, west across southwestern U.S. to California.
Habitat
Coniferous and mixed forest, forest edge, clearings, bogs, brush, thickets, open woodland. In migration and winter also in deciduous forest and woodland, scrub, shrubbery, gardens, parks, cattail marshes. BREEDING: Nests on ground at edge of clearing, usually by or under shrubs, tree branches, grass tufts, weed clumps, and ferns; exceptionally above ground in thick bushes or low in tree (Harrison 1978).
Food habits
Eats mostly weeds seeds, also small fruits, buds, and insects; forages mostly on ground (Terres 1980).
Reproductive characteristics
Clutch size 4-6. Rarely more than 1 brood per year. Incubation 11-14 days, by female. Young tended by both parents, leave nest at 7-12 days (usually 8-9), can fly about 2-3 days later.
References
- Falls, J. B., and J. G. Kopachena. 1994. White-throated sparrow. Birds of North America 128: 1–30.
- Rising, J. D., and D. D. Beadle. 1996. A guide to the identification and natural history of the sparrows of the United States and Canada. Academic, San Diego. xiii + 365 pp.
