White-throated Sparrows sing a pretty, thin whistle that sounds like Oh-sweet-canada-canada or Old-Sam-Peabody-Peabody. The whistles are even but typically move slightly up or down in pitch by the second or third note. The whole song lasts about 4 seconds. White-throated Sparrows sing often during the breeding season, even in the middle of the day, and on their winter range as well. Males of both forms sing, and so does the “white-striped” female. “Tan-striped” females sing very rarely.
The main call of the White-throated Sparrow is a sharp, explosive, chink, often given by an agitated bird with crown feathers raised, flicking its tail. It’s an alarm call often given near a nest or when a predator or other threat has been spotted. A two-parted chip-up is a sign of aggression between two birds or given when adults arrive at the nest. White-throated Sparrows also make a trill that can be up to 2 seconds long. Females do this as part of courtship; males sometimes use trills to signal aggression as they push their head forward and flutter their wings. Flock members make a high, level seep.