The State of White-throated Sparrows
Regionally: Declining
The mean (thick, dark red line) annual estimate of the White-throated Sparrow abundance within the immediate areas surrounding ~750 Mountain Birdwatch sampling stations. The lighter vertical bars represent the 95% Bayesian credible interval (a measure of the uncertainty around the abundance estimates).
White-throated Sparrow numbers have likely been declining throughout our region for at least the last half-century. Mountain Birdwatch data indicate a steep overall population decline (-5.96% per year, 95% credible interval = -6.76% to -5.17%) in the mountains of our region; this trend equates to a 49.07% decline (95% credible interval = 53.67% to 44.20%) between 2010 and 2021. These declines are prevalent throughout the region, but the steepest declines (-14.32% per year, 95% credible interval = -18.00% to -9.73%) were observed in the Catskills of New York (see table below).
Mean annual population trends and population change (with 95% Bayesian credible intervals [CRI]) for White-throated Sparrow from 2010 through 2021. A red dot
indicates strong evidence for a negative trend.
| Region | Mean annual trend (%) | Trend 95% CRI | Probability of decrease | Probability of increase | Population change (%) 2010-2021 | Population change (95% CRI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All regions | -5.96 | (-6.76, -5.17) | >0.99 | <0.01 | -49.07 | (-53.67, -44.20) |
| New York (state) | -7.63 | (-8.99, -6.23) | >0.99 | <0.01 | -58.07 | (-64.52, -50.71) |
| New York (Catskills) | -14.32 | (-18.00, -9.73) | >0.99 | <0.01 | -81.04 | (-88.73, -67.57) |
| New York (Adirondacks) | -7.21 | (-8.59, -5.81) | >0.99 | <0.01 | -55.97 | (-62.77, -48.21) |
| Vermont | -6.01 | (-7.26, -4.72) | >0.99 | <0.01 | -49.29 | (-56.34, -41.28) |
| New Hampshire | -5.63 | (-6.78, -4.48) | >0.99 | <0.01 | -47.05 | (-53.79, -39.63) |
| Maine | -5.16 | (-6.14, -4.15) | >0.99 | <0.01 | -44.10 | (-50.21, -37.27) |
Globally: Declining
With a global population of ~140 million, the White-throated Sparrow remains an abundant species. However, USGS Breeding Bird Survey data estimate that this species’ population size has declined by 30% across North America over the last half century. The USGS Breeding Bird Survey data indicate a broad, long-term decline for White-throated Sparrows in the Eastern U.S. and Eastern Canada (where this species is most numerous), and a stable or increasing population trend for this species in the Western U.S. and Western Canada.
