white-throated sparrow
chipping sparrow
barn, loft, and manure pile. Not knowing their differences, or much caring, we called them“ spebbies.” Where this term comes from, I don’ t know, but they made great moving targets for our bb guns, winging over the barnyard. This might have been my first encounter with a group of birds I now have come to respect and admire. Seemingly insignificant, the mundane sparrows continue to reveal secrets and inspire while surviving mankind’ s ever-changing environment.
I have become a fan of sparrows and I study their size, colors, streaking, and wing bars. A bonus is to listen for their calls. Some calls and songs from a flock at the feeder may be heard on winter days. The song of the white-throated sparrow resembles“ old-Sam Peabody, peabody, peabody,” sometimes all on the same note. Old Sam sports a white beard, or in this case, the white throat. Listen for the repetitive“ machine gun” call of the chipping sparrow. The field sparrow’ s call is like a ping-pong ball bouncing slowly at first, then faster and faster.
You can spot the white-throated sparrow, a songbird that breeds as far north as northern Wisconsin and migrates through the southern part of the Midwest. A few birds remain here through winter. Their migration is triggered by decreasing day lengths. Actual migratory movement is correlated with local weather conditions. Because they are ground-feeders, most birds leave their breeding range in time to avoid permanent snow cover. White-throated sparrows take off at dusk like most small songbirds and migrate at night. This behavior has been verified for us through research at several avian research centers. This nocturnal trip occurs usually after passage of a cold front accompanied with falling temps and north winds. They will forage on the ground during daylight hours, often in loose flocks. This could be the time we catch a glimpse of the white-throated at our feeders. More than a casual look is needed to see white under the lower bill and a small patch of yellow in front of each eye.
Look for the white-throated and other sparrows at your feeders in the coming winter months. Their variety, song, and resilience can be reason enough to appreciate these often ignored and maligned birds. •
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