Song Sparrows are small, mainly brown sparrows with a white belly, throat and malar. They have gray auriculars, a gray supercilium, and a gray nape. They have a brown eye-stripe alongside with brown malar and crown stripes.Their mantle and scapulars are striped, and so is their belly. They have a dark spot at the bottom of their breast. Their tail is brown from above and white-ish from the bottom, and their undertail coverts are white with streaking. Their legs are a pale pink and their bill is usually gray, occasionally becoming pink.

This is the most common song that the Song Sparrow sings, but without an ending. The ending is usually variable in most Song Sparrows.

Most Song Sparrow calls have a trill in the middle such as this one, but not all have abrupt ends. They also produce chips when flushed or occasionally when flying.

Juvenile Song Sparrows emit seet calls similar to that of Cedar Waxwings. This call is very discreet and makes it hard to discern the location. Juvenile Song Sparrows will also emit chips, much like those of an adult.

These are the tip calls of a Song Sparrow. These calls are most commonly said when a Song Sparrow feels threatened.

Swamp Sparrows are very similar to the Song Sparrow, but note that they have much more rufous on the back and have a grayer face. They also have a rufous cap and buffy flanks. Swamp Sparrows are also only here in winter and during migration.

White-Throated Sparrows are similar to Song Sparrows in some respects, but have more yellow and a broader supercilium on the tan subspecies. The white-lined subspecies is very different, with bright yellow on their supra-lorals. Their call is also different. Instead of a warble like a Song Sparrow, it’s more of a “poor Sam Peabody-Peabody-Peabody”.