WhenToBird

Zonotrichia albicollis · Passerellidae

When Do White-throated Sparrows Arrive in Vermont?

Adult White-throated Sparrow
Photo: northerly, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

White-throated Sparrows are in Vermont all year, but most are here in fall: numbers build from late September, peak in the second week of October (42% of checklists), and fall back by late October. In the quietest week (mid August) they are still on about 2.6% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildSep 22-30late September
PeakOct 8-14the second week of October
Fall back byOct 22-31late October
FewestAug 15-21mid August

Best: the second week of October. Here all year; numbers build from late September and fall back by late October. Peak: on about 42% of Vermont checklists.

  1. Januncommon
  2. Febuncommon
  3. Marrare
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Jununcommon
  7. Juluncommon
  8. Augrare
  9. Seppeak season
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novcommon
  12. Decuncommon

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

0%20%40%60%Jan 1-7: 6.8% of 12234 checklistsJan 8-14: 7.3% of 8293 checklistsJan 15-21: 7.8% of 7885 checklistsJan 22-31: 7.8% of 10534 checklistsFeb 1-7: 7.6% of 7212 checklistsFeb 8-14: 7.2% of 8144 checklistsFeb 15-21: 7.4% of 10480 checklistsFeb 22-28: 6.7% of 7932 checklistsMar 1-7: 6.0% of 8192 checklistsMar 8-14: 4.8% of 9383 checklistsMar 15-21: 4.2% of 10620 checklistsMar 22-31: 5.0% of 16257 checklistsApr 1-7: 4.9% of 12568 checklistsApr 8-14: 8.5% of 14677 checklistsApr 15-21: 21% of 14106 checklistsApr 22-30: 36% of 19617 checklistsMay 1-7: 40% of 18143 checklistsMay 8-14: 31% of 19626 checklistsMay 15-21: 17% of 17779 checklistsMay 22-31: 11% of 20310 checklistsJun 1-7: 8.8% of 11493 checklistsJun 8-14: 8.5% of 10215 checklistsJun 15-21: 11% of 9951 checklistsJun 22-30: 9.2% of 11050 checklistsJul 1-7: 9.4% of 8690 checklistsJul 8-14: 8.7% of 7679 checklistsJul 15-21: 7.5% of 7687 checklistsJul 22-31: 6.2% of 10712 checklistsAug 1-7: 4.1% of 7703 checklistsAug 8-14: 3.0% of 7743 checklistsAug 15-21: 2.7% of 8314 checklistsAug 22-31: 2.2% of 12428 checklistsSep 1-7: 3.9% of 9526 checklistsSep 8-14: 7.6% of 8493 checklistsSep 15-21: 19% of 8283 checklistsSep 22-30: 35% of 10352 checklistsOct 1-7: 47% of 8802 checklistsOct 8-14: 42% of 9088 checklistsOct 15-21: 37% of 7739 checklistsOct 22-31: 27% of 10907 checklistsNov 1-7: 16% of 7868 checklistsNov 8-14: 11% of 7223 checklistsNov 15-21: 8.9% of 7224 checklistsNov 22-30: 7.2% of 8375 checklistsDec 1-7: 7.2% of 6580 checklistsDec 8-14: 7.4% of 6800 checklistsDec 15-21: 6.8% of 8334 checklistsDec 22-31: 7.5% of 10579 checklistsJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Share of complete checklists reporting it, by week (4 per month). Grey bars: fewer than 10 checklists, not counted.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Vermont that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
today
Second week of November

Each county is shaded by the share of complete checklists there that listed the bird, blended with the weeks either side. Darker is more often. It follows where people watch birds, not how many birds there are. How to read it.

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Where in Vermont

Best counties

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Essex CountyBest mid May · 260 checklists that week, 9,416 in all63%
  2. Bennington CountyBest the second week of October · 334 checklists that week, 21,621 in all57%
  3. Windsor CountyBest the second week of October · 1418 checklists that week, 73,702 in all55%
  4. Windham CountyBest the second week of October · 614 checklists that week, 39,105 in all50%
  5. Rutland CountyBest the second week of October · 736 checklists that week, 46,909 in all49%
  6. Chittenden CountyBest early October · 1911 checklists that week, 109,477 in all45%

Best spots

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Union Village ReservoirOrange County, best the second week of May · 35 checklists that week, 352 in all94%
  2. The NoseLamoille County, best early July · 34 checklists that week, 220 in all94%
  3. Camels Hump State ForestChittenden County, best the second week of May · 22 checklists that week, 299 in all93%

Busy spots report more of everything; compare the checklist counts before you drive anywhere.

Best time of day

In Vermont, the White-throated Sparrow is most often listed on checklists started between 5 and 7 am (23% of those checklists).

0%10%20%30%12 am: too few checklists (384) to judge1 am: too few checklists (418) to judge2 am: too few checklists (568) to judge3 am: too few checklists (1183) to judge4 am: too few checklists (3460) to judge5 am: 21% of 10340 checklists6 am: 23% of 30951 checklists7 am: 19% of 64150 checklists8 am: 17% of 70252 checklists9 am: 15% of 55280 checklists10 am: 13% of 47111 checklists11 am: 11% of 37615 checklists12 pm: 10% of 32195 checklists1 pm: 9.8% of 30185 checklists2 pm: 10% of 29679 checklists3 pm: 11% of 26483 checklists4 pm: 12% of 20110 checklists5 pm: 12% of 15993 checklists6 pm: 9.3% of 12110 checklists7 pm: too few checklists (8203) to judge8 pm: too few checklists (4425) to judge9 pm: too few checklists (1829) to judge10 pm: too few checklists (597) to judge11 pm: too few checklists (309) to judge12a3a6a9a12p3p6p9p
Share of checklists started in each local hour that reported it. It reflects when people go birding as well as when birds are active. Grey hours have too few checklists (under 2% of the state’s, or under 200) to judge.
Week-by-week table
MonthDays 1-78-1415-2122-end
January6.8%7.3%7.8%7.8%
February7.6%7.2%7.4%6.7%
March6.0%4.8%4.2%5.0%
April4.9%8.5%21%36%
May40%31%17%11%
June8.8%8.5%11%9.2%
July9.4%8.7%7.5%6.2%
August4.1%3.0%2.7%2.2%
September3.9%7.6%19%35%
October47%42%37%27%
November16%11%8.9%7.2%
December7.2%7.4%6.8%7.5%

Neighboring states

  • New Hampshire: arrives late September, in the same week than Vermont
  • Massachusetts: arrives the second week of September, 2 weeks earlier than Vermont
  • Connecticut: arrives mid September, 1 week earlier than Vermont
  • Rhode Island: arrives mid September, 1 week earlier than Vermont

Common questions

When do White-throated Sparrows arrive in Vermont?
White-throated Sparrows are in Vermont all year, but most are here in fall: numbers build from late September, peak in the second week of October (42% of checklists), and fall back by late October. In the quietest week (mid August) they are still on about 2.6% of checklists.
When do White-throated Sparrows leave Vermont?
White-throated Sparrows never fully leave Vermont: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late October, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.6% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see a White-throated Sparrow in Vermont?
The White-throated Sparrow is reported most often in the second week of October, on about 42% of Vermont checklists.
Where in Vermont are White-throated Sparrows seen most often?
By county, Essex County, Bennington County, and Windsor County have the highest peak reporting rates for the White-throated Sparrow (counties with at least 200 checklists).