Population status

White-throated Sparrow
(Zonotrichia albicollis)

The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the most reliable source of data for this species that breeds primarily in the boreal forest. CBC results indicate there has been little overall change in the population since about 1970. The CBC covers about 95% of the species' winter range, most of which are birds that bred in Canada. The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), covering about one-third of the Canadian breeding population, provides a good secondary source for population assessment and also indicates little overall change in the national population relative to 1970. Regional BBS trends vary widely, with contrasting trends in the two Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) that support the highest breeding densities in Canada: a large decrease in the Atlantic Northern Forest BCR and a stable population in the Boreal Hardwood Transition BCR.

Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

Additional information on: Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

View definitions of table column headings being used by: Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

Table 1: Population trends by geographic area
Geographic area	Time Period	Annual trend ^{Table 1 - footnote 1}	Limits
Geographic area	Time Period	Annual trend ^{Table 1 - footnote 1}	Lower	Upper
North America Select to view graph of the geographic area: North America 1965-2012; Christmas Bird Count (CBC)	1965-2012	0.1	-0.3	0.4

Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis

Additional information on: Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis

View definitions of table column headings being used by: Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis

Table 2: Population trends by geographic area
Geographic area	Time Period ^{Table 2 - footnote 1}	Annual trend ^{Table 2 - footnote 2}	Intervals ^{Table 2 - footnote3}
Geographic area	Time Period ^{Table 2 - footnote 1}	Annual trend ^{Table 2 - footnote 2}	Lower	Upper
Canada Select to view graph of the geographic area: Canada 1970-2012; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis	1970-2012	-0.3	-0.6	0.1
Northern Rockies Select to view graph of the geographic area: Northern Rockies 1970-2012; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis	1970-2012	4.5	3	6
Prairie Potholes Select to view graph of the geographic area: Prairie Potholes 1970-2012; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis	1970-2012	-1	-3.6	0.7
Boreal Hardwood Transition Select to view graph of the geographic area: Boreal Hardwood Transition 1970-2012; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis	1970-2012	-0.5	-0.8	-0.2
Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain Select to view graph of the geographic area: Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain 1970-2012; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis	1970-2012	-1.6	-2.2	-0.9
Atlantic Northern Forest Select to view graph of the geographic area: Atlantic Northern Forest 1970-2012; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis	1970-2012	-1.4	-1.7	-1.1

References

Falls, J.B. and J.G. Kopachena. 2010. White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Falls, J.B. and J.G. Kopachena. 2010. White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. (Link)
Machtans, C.S., C.H.R. Wedeles, and E.M. Bayne. 2013. A first estimate for Canada of the number of birds killed by colliding with building windows. Avian Conservation and Ecology 8(2): 6. Machtans, C.S., C.H.R. Wedeles, and E.M. Bayne. 2013. A first estimate for Canada of the number of birds killed by colliding with building windows. Avian Conservation and Ecology 8(2): 6. (Link)