White-tkroatd Sparrow 



Every year, with the coming of winter weather, little bands of 

 migratory sparrows stop over for a few weeks' stay in the apple tree 

 community. They like to forage under the low bushes that grow here. 

 And because I enjoy watching these visitors, I reward them for their 

 visit, exhort them to stay, and encourage their return by scattering 

 bread crumbs lavishly around the apple tree. 



Among other bird travelers I see many tree sparrows, identifiable 

 by the roundish black spot in the center of their creamy gray breasts. 

 Some of the commuters are big, handsome fox sparrows with their 

 brown, streaked breasts and rich, reddish tails. Another handsome 

 and dignified tourist is the white-crowned sparrow. His head is 

 marked with black and white stripes and a distinguished looking high 

 crest. 



Of all the visiting sparrows, however, my favorite remains the 

 little white-throated sparrow. The black and white stripes on his head 

 and the rounded patch of white on his throat unmistakably identify 

 him. He is a friendly little bird, and his song is a sweet, pure, 

 whistled tone that can easily be imitated by almost anyone who can 

 whistle at all. It sounds like ooh tee whey, whey, whey, whey. 

 Naturally he sings his best when he is in his nesting territory, 

 farther north than my apple tree community. But sometimes, es- 

 pecially on a dull, gloomy day, a white-throat just can't resist singing; 

 perhaps he anticipates the joys of approaching spring. I try to en- 

 courage him to compete by offering a few whistled notes of my 

 own. 



As spring pushes northward so do my little bands of migratory 

 sparrows. I hope many of them will come again next winter. They're 

 welcome here, and I'll have plenty of bread crumbs ready for them. 



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