White-throated sparrow

White-throated sparrow facing the camera on a wet branch, with yellow lores, a striped crown, and a white throat, Manitoba

The white-throated sparrow is easy to recognize by its bold black-and-white striped crown, bright yellow patch between the eye and the bill, and crisp white throat. It is a plump, ground-feeding sparrow that scratches through leaf litter and undergrowth for seeds and insects.

Its clear, whistled song is often written as “Oh sweet Canada, Canada, Canada,” and it is a familiar sound of the boreal forest in spring. In Manitoba, white-throated sparrows nest in the north and east, and they pass through the rest of the province in large numbers during spring and fall migration.

I love the crisp white throat and yellow patches by the eye of a white-throated sparrow, and a song that sounds like a whistled tune.

For more on the white-throated sparrow and its habitat, see its species guide at All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

  • White-throated sparrow facing the camera on a wet branch, with yellow lores, a striped crown, and a white throat, Manitoba
  • White-throated sparrow with bright yellow lores standing on a granite boulder, Manitoba

White-throated sparrow Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the white-throated sparrow in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the white-throated sparrow nests and migrates, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the white-throated sparrow in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Hudson Plains, and the Boreal Plains (gold) and passing through the Prairies in spring and fall (lilac). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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