I will readily admit that I have lost some hours worth of my time in trying to successfully identify sparrows. In the end, I usually give up and of the ones I do identify I am almost always only eighty percent certain. That is why the white-throated sparrow is a special one for me. It is just so easy to identify, even while out in the field with several other sparrows flying about. Even though there are two variations - one with white and one with tan stripes on the head - the white throat is the constant that makes these sparrows stand out.