Measuring up to six inches in length, the Black-throated Sparrow is brown above and grayish below with a bal ck throat, face, and cap, and two white stripes across the head, one above the eye, and the other a diagonal stripe that extends from the bill. Like most sparrows, the bill is short and conical. Females are similar. Juveniles lack the black throat. The Black-throated Sparrow normally travels in small groups.

Diet: Mostly seeds, buds, and insects. This bird can apparently persist for long periods of time without water.

Range: Although it is most common in the desert southwest, the Black-throated Sparrow breeds throughout much of the western United States, north to Washington state. It is typically only found west of the Great Plains. Populations also occur throughout northern and central Mexico. Northern birds migrate to Mexico for the winter.

Habitat: Desert areas, scrublands, sagebrush, open areas. These birds normally forage on the ground, but males frequently sing from conspicuous perches on cacti, telephone wires, or fenceposts.