The White-throated Sparrow has a distinctive call, which can be easy to identify given the modulations at the end of a long Sparrow tseet. While there are many weak calls that are best left unidentified, this common migrant through Vermont should be easy enough to identify, even with the naked ear.
Evans and O'Brien (2002) note that this call is given during the day, as well, making identification easier.
Pieplow (2017) notes of the tsink call:
High, distinctly underslurred. Usually polyphonic; sometimes slightly burry. All year, in contact and in flight, including by night migrants. Plastic.
The "plastic" note is worrying, as it's unclear on the level of variation for the tsink call. Of tsink calls in general:
Extremely high, short, slightly underslurred whistled or polyphonic note. Like Seet, but with strong consonant sound at start. Shorter than tseereet.
And, of the WTSP version:
Even longer, more monotone, with weaker consonant sounds.
Dunne (2006) writes:
Call note is a sharp explosive "spink!" given at dawn and dusk and when birds are excited. Also heard is a high thin flock-location call, "seEep," sometimes given with a slight trill. Similar to Song Sparrow's "seet," the White-throated call is more abrupt and matter-of-fact and not so questioning or ethereal.
Sibley (2016) notes:
Call a loud, sharp, metallic chink. Flight call a high, level, long sreeet.
Falls and Kopachena (2020) note:
Tseet (or seep) is a location or contact call given by flock or pair members when feeding, often when birds are visually isolated from one another. Captives in unfamiliar surroundings use it; also heard after copulation (Thorneycroft 1967). Varies in intensity; loud seeps may precede chip-up calls. Tseet begins with a downslur and continues with a fairly narrow frequency spread in 5–8 kHz range (length 0.1–0.3 s); this call is difficult for humans to localize.
All notes here come from Evans and O'Brien (2002).
Evans and O'Brien (2002) notes:
Measured calls (N=21) were 114.1-189.8 (162.2) mS in duration and in the 6.6-11.1 (7.2-9.5) kHz frequency range. The frequency track was single or double-banded and was very gently upward-arched, typically with the high point at the beginning and the low point in the middle. There were typically 1-5 (2.5) prominent modulations (rarely reduced to an irregular squiggle) with a spacing of 18.5-34 (27) mS between humps and a depth of 0.6-1.7 (1.1) kHz.
The ML example from eBird is a good example of this call.
Other calls:
This section may not be helpful. The idea is to make it easier to rule out other species more easily without going through the whole list, which may not be possible.
The following species were noted as being similar by the cited experts. Any notes underneath the species can be used to rule out the other species for particular calls.
When describing this call in comments on an NFC checklist, try and add as many salient notes as possible and refer to this page for justification. If there are any species which seem similar, please get in touch so we can add them here. The intent here is to have a full list of differences for each possible similar call.
All notes for species are coming from Evans and O'Brien (2002), unless where noted.
Evans and O'Brien (2002) note:
Similar to Song and Fox Sparrows but not rising, typically longer, and usually with a distinctive sibilant trill toward the end.
Pieplow includes Song, Fox, and Harris's Sparrows as giving similar tseet sounds.
Notes
Evans and O'Brien (2002) note:
The frequency track was double-banded (either band sometimes faint) and upward-arched. The low point ranged from about one quarter to three quarters of the way through the call, and the space between bands was typically small and nearly even through the call. There were occasionally fine modulations with a spacing of 4.1-12.5 (6.2) mS between humps and a depth of 300-1100 (700) Hz.
Notes