Collared Towhee

Overview

The collared towhee (Pipilo ocai) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae that is endemic to Mexico. It is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, though its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Body length of 19.5 to 23 cm with a relatively short tail.
• Adults possess a black forehead with a central white line, a rufous crown, and a long white supercilium reaching the nape.
• Olive-green upperparts and tail, with bright yellow at the wing bend and a black band across the white throat.
• Variable song phrases such as "clee-o-weet-ship-trrr" and calls including "zhree" and "jor-ee".

Habitat

This species inhabits the edges of pine-oak and montane evergreen forests, as well as scrublands, in subtropical and temperate zones at elevations of 1,500 to 3,750 m. It has an extremely disjunct distribution with four distinct ranges in southern Mexico, including states such as Jalisco, Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, and Veracruz.

Diet

The diet consists primarily of insects and other arthropods, seeds, and fruits. The bird forages on the ground by scratching in leaf litter, as well as in vegetation not far above the ground, usually singly, in pairs, or in family groups.

Did you know?

Despite its disjunct distribution, the collared towhee is the heaviest member of its family, with males weighing between 61 and 68 g.