As the winter dusk shrouds our property in central Missouri, a flock of white-throated sparrows reliably turns up to forage in the dry flower beds and shrub lines. Summer residents of forested areas across Canada, the Great Lakes and New England, they are unfazed by the cold evening air.
White-throated sparrows generally arrive in Missouri by mid October, content to spend the winter in our "balmy" climate. Feeding on the ground or in low thickets, they primarily feast on seeds but also consume berries. By late winter, their homesick tune begins to intensify and, by mid April, the weather is too warm for these hardy songbirds, sending them back to the North Country.
Knowing that these sparrows could easily head to the Gulf Coast for the winter, Midwest birders certainly appreciate their company during the cold, dark season of winter. By dropping in at dusk, the white-throats seem to acknowledge and encourage that sentiment.
