Breeding in Canada and wintering over much of the eastern United States, this one of the most familiar birds in North America. It is a very rare visitor to Britain & Ireland. There are also several records of individuals on trans-Atlantic ships and North Sea oil rigs.

White-throated Sparrow occurs in two colour forms (white and tan crowned); males of both types prefer females with white stripes, but both females prefer tan-striped males, so birds usually mate with the opposite morph.