Immature White-crowned Sparrows have reddish-brown stripes on the head, whereas immature White-throated Sparrows have blackish head stripes and a neat white throat patch. © Ryan Schain / Macaulay Library Massachusetts, November 05, 2011

Both these birds have brown backs, grayish-brown breasts and bold black and white stripes on their crowns, but white-throated sparrows are more plump and have a white throat patch and a yellow spot on the inner part of the eye, similar to the Savannah sparrow, Cornell Lab reports.

White-throated sparrow — Tree vs. chipping: At first glance, this might be the toughest of the group. Both are about the same size, have the rusty caps and have a lighter gray breast and belly ...

Field Sparrows have a bright-pink bill, a duller crown, and a distinct eyering; whereas Chipping Sparrows have a dull bill, a bright rusty crown, and a black eyeline instead of an eyering. American Tree Sparrows have a rufous stripe through the eye; on Chipping Sparrows it's black.