Spotted Towhee

Overview

The spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus) is a large New World sparrow found in North America. Until 1995, it was classified as part of the rufous-sided towhee species complex, and it is still sometimes referred to by the outdated name Oregon towhee. It is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Size: Roughly the size of a gray catbird, ranging from 17 cm to 21 cm in length with a wingspan of 28 cm.
• Plumage: Adult males have a dark head, upper body, and tail with a white belly and rufous sides; females are similar but dark brown and grey. Both sexes feature white spots on the back and white wing bars.
• Tail: Long, dark, and fan-shaped with white corners on the end.
• Features: Bright red eyes and dull pink legs.
• Voice: The call may be harsher and more varied than that of the eastern towhee.

Habitat

This species inhabits dry upland forests, open forests, brushy fields, and chaparrals across north-western North America, including parts of the United States and Canada. It is present year-round in the American West but migrates to scrubland, parks, and suburban gardens in northern and northwestern regions during breeding. It tends to avoid recently burned areas due to a lack of ground cover but can colonise areas recovering from fires.

Diet

Spotted towhees forage on the ground or in low vegetation, noisily rummaging through dry leaves. During the breeding season, they consume insects such as beetles, spiders, and other arthropods, while in autumn and winter, they focus on acorns, seeds, oats, and berries. They will also visit bird feeders if available in their woodland habitat.

Did you know?

The bird hybridises with the eastern towhee where their ranges overlap in the Midwest, and with the collared towhee in southwestern Mexico. The population on Socorro Island is so distinct that it is sometimes treated as a separate species, the Socorro towhee (Pipilo socorroensis).