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White-throated Sparrow
[Zonotrichia albicollis]
[Length 6.75 in. Wingspan 9 in.]
The White-throated sparrow is a common feeder visitor in the eastern and southwestern US.
It is easily identified by the black and white striped head, bright white throat patch, and yellow lores (the spot between the eye and the base of the bill).
They travel in loose flocks and are often heard foraging in the leaf litter, as they rapidly hop backward, raking the leaves with their feet to expose insects and other food.
White-throated Sparrows have one of the easiest songs to learn, a whistled "POOR SAM PEABODY PEABODY PEABODY".
However, some would argue that the song should be "OH SWEET CANADA CANADA CANADA", since most of these birds breed in Canada!
This one was photographed along a woodland trail in central New Jersey, USA.
Photo taken with a 500mm f8 Nikkor mirror lens on Kodachrome 200 film.
(Date: May 1986)
(use image name "sprwt2" for inquiries)
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