White-throated Sparrow

I’m Looking Forward To The Weekend. Who’s With Me?

August 14, 2020 — 10 Comments

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 400.

White-throated Sparrow

A man asked a waiter. “What is this fly doing in my soup?”

The waiter replied. “It looks like its swimming sir.”

Interesting Fact:  During the breeding season the males are aggressive, chasing each other off their territories. “White-striped” forms tend to be more aggressive than “tan-striped” forms. Later in the breeding season this aggressiveness declines, and by fall White-throated Sparrows form large flocks that forage together. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/lifehistory  )

When I Was Born I Was So Surprised I Didn’t Talk For A Year And Half

February 20, 2020 — 18 Comments

F/5.6, 1/800, ISO 250.

White-throated Sparrow

What do you call a fake noodle?

An Impasta

Interesting Fact:  White-throated Sparrows eat mainly the seeds of grasses and weeds, including ragweed and buckwheat, as well as fruits of sumac, grape, cranberry, mountain ash, rose, blueberry, blackberry, and dogwood. In summer they eat large numbers of insects that they catch on the forest floor or, occasionally on quick flights out from low vegetation. These include dragonflies, wasps, stinkbugs, beetles, flies, and caterpillars, as well as spiders, millipedes, centipedes, and snails. Parents feed their nestlings almost exclusively animal matter. During winter, White-throated Sparrows readily visit bird feeders for millet and black oil sunflower seeds. In spring they eat the tender buds, blossoms, and young seeds of oak, apple, maple, beech, and elm. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/lifehistory )

 

 

The Grass Is Greener Where You Water It!

June 18, 2019 — 16 Comments

F/6.3, 1/100, ISO 400.

White-throated Sparrow

What did the tie say to the hat?

You go on ahead and I’ll hang around!

Interesting Fact: White-throated Sparrows hop when they’re on the ground rather than walking or running. They forage in the leaf litter, often using both feet at once to scratch backwards, then pounce forward at anything they’ve uncovered. They also toss leaves aside with flicks of the head.  ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/lifehistory )

I Wanna Go Fast!

February 8, 2018 — 7 Comments

F/6.3, 1/60, ISO 400.

White-throated Sparrow

Two state officials are talking  “I don’t know what people have against us, We haven’t done anything.”

Interesting Fact:  Males are typically dominant over females, but whether an individual is white-striped or tan-striped seems to have no bearing on status. When pairing up, white-striped forms tend to choose tan-striped individuals, and vice versa. Pairs stay together for the summer, but birds often choose new partners the next year.  ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/lifehistory )

That Worm Has To Come Out Sooner Or Later

May 7, 2016 — 19 Comments

White-throated Sparrow 1

F/6.3, 1/100, ISO 400.

White-throated Sparrow

What do you get if you cross a worm and an elephant?

Very big worm holes in your garden!

Interesting Fact: The oldest recorded White-throated Sparrow was at least 14 years, 11 months old, when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Alberta. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/lifehistory )

LA LA LA LA!!!

February 6, 2016 — 15 Comments

White throated Sparrow

F/ 9.0, 1/320, ISO 320.

White-throated Sparrow

What do you call a rooster who wakes you up at the same time every morning ?

An alarm cluck !

Interesting Fact: White-throated Sparrows typically nest on or near the ground. Occasional nests are built up to 15 feet off the ground in conifers. Usually, these nests are second attempts after a pair has had a ground nest robbed by a predator. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/lifehistory )

Eat So You Will Be Big And Strong!

December 19, 2015 — 18 Comments

White-throated Sparrow

F/ 6.3, 1/60, ISO 320.

White-throated Sparrow

Day 353 / 365

A couple of birds made a date to meet on the ledge outside the tenth floor of a skyscraper. The female was there on time, but the male arrived an hour late. “Where were you? I was worried sick.” “It was such nice day, I decided to walk.”
Interesting Fact: Although they look nothing alike and aren’t particularly closely related, the White-throated Sparrow and the Dark-eyed Junco occasionally mate and produce hybrids. The resulting offspring look like grayish, dully marked White-throated Sparrows with white outer tail feathers. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/lifehistory )

Don’t Sneak Up On Me! I See You!

April 28, 2015 — 26 Comments

White-throated Sparrow

F/6.3, 1/640, ISO 800.

White-throated Sparrow

Day 118 / 365

How does a bird with a broken wing manage to land safely?
With its sparrowchute.

Interesting Fact: The White-throated Sparrow comes in two color forms: white-crowned and tan-crowned. The two forms are genetically determined, and they persist because individuals almost always mate with a bird of the opposite morph. Males of both color types prefer females with white stripes, but both kinds of females prefer tan-striped males. White-striped birds are more aggressive than tan-striped ones, and white-striped females may be able to outcompete their tan-striped sisters for tan-striped males. ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/lifehistory )