White-throated Sparrow

The White-throated Sparrow is a casual visitor to campus: one was seen 20 Dec 2013 on the north side of Badger Hill and another was seen 21 Nov 2015 in a stand of coastal sage scrub that is now parking lot N. It is a rare migrant and wintering bird in southern California.Adult White-throated Sparrows can be identified by their black and white (or brown and tan) striped heads with a bright yellow supraloral (in front of the eye) spot, contrasting white throat, light gray underparts, and brown streaky upperparts. Immature (first winter) White-throated Sparrows are similar overall to adults, but with duller and less contrasting plumage patterns. They often occur with flocks of White-crowned Sparrows.