Learning bird songs

[lappelbaum]

@jasonhernandez74

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys), the field guides all say, sings “Old Sam Peabody-Peabody-Peabody.”

My book says that mnemonic for White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) and I’ve heard them say it (here in east Texas). It says seeee sitli-sitli te-te-te-te-zrrrr for White-crowned and mentions many local dialects. I’ve never heard a White-crowned Sparrow sing here. We only have sparrows in the winter so they don’t usually sing. I occasionally here the White-throated Sparrows sing not long before they leave to head north.