Towhees are sparrow-like birds found in North America. There are seven species of towhees, including the Eastern Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Canyon Towhee, Abert’s Towhee, California Towhee, Green-tailed Towhee, and Collared Towhee. Male and female towhees often have different plumage, allowing birdwatchers to tell them apart. In this article, we will explore the key physical characteristics of male and female towhees for the most common species found in backyards and parks.
Eastern Towhee
The Eastern Towhee is found in eastern North America. Males have black heads, backs, wings and tails contrasting with rufous sides. Their black tails have white corners that are visible in flight. Females have brown heads, backs, and wings instead of black. Their tails are shorter and rufous brown with white corners. Both sexes have a reddish or rufous belly.
When seeing an Eastern Towhee up close, these are the key differences to look for:
Male Eastern Towhee
- Black head, back, wings and tail
- Rufous sides
- Long black tail with white corners
- Reddish belly
Female Eastern Towhee
- Brown head, back and wings
- Rufous sides
- Shorter rufous brown tail with white corners
- Reddish belly
The male’s striking black and rufous plumage makes him easy to recognize. The female is a more subdued brown and rufous. But both share the reddish belly and white tail corners.
Spotted Towhee
The Spotted Towhee is found in western North America. The male has a black head, back and tail with white spots on the back and wings. The sides are rufous like the Eastern Towhee. The female Spotted Towhee is brown where the male is black. Both sexes have a white belly with rufous sides.
Male Spotted Towhee
- Black head, back and tail
- White spots on back and wings
- Rufous sides
- White belly
Female Spotted Towhee
- Brown head, back and tail
- White spots on back and wings
- Rufous sides
- White belly
The male Spotted Towhee’s black plumage with white spots makes him distinctive. The female looks similar to a female Eastern Towhee. But the white belly, rather than reddish, helps distinguish her.
Canyon Towhee
The Canyon Towhee of the southwestern United States has drab gray-brown plumage. The male has a rusty cap while the female has a gray cap. Both sexes have a reddish tail and undertail. Their rusty tails help identify them in flight.
Male Canyon Towhee
- Gray-brown body
- Rusty cap
- Reddish tail
Female Canyon Towhee
- Gray-brown body
- Gray cap
- Reddish tail
The male Canyon Towhee’s rusty cap is the best way to distinguish him from the female. Otherwise they look very similar. Their long reddish tails are also a helpful identification clue.
Green-tailed Towhee
In the western United States, the Green-tailed Towhee has greenish upperparts and tail, a gray throat and breast, and a reddish belly. The male has a black head, wings and tail while the female has a brown head, wings and tail. Their namesake green tails help identify them in flight.
Male Green-tailed Towhee
- Black head, wings and tail
- Greenish back
- Gray throat and breast
- Reddish belly
- Green tail
Female Green-tailed Towhee
- Brown head, wings and tail
- Greenish back
- Gray throat and breast
- Reddish belly
- Green tail
The male’s black head and wings compared to the female’s brown plumage is the best way to tell them apart. The colorful green tails of both sexes are a useful field mark.
California Towhee
In the west coast region, the California Towhee has gray and brown plumage. The male has a black head, wings and tail, while the female has a brown head, wings and tail. Their eyes are reddish-brown.
Male California Towhee
- Black head, wings and tail
- Gray back
- Rufous flanks
- Reddish-brown eyes
Female California Towhee
- Brown head, wings and tail
- Gray back
- Rufous flanks
- Reddish-brown eyes
The male’s black plumage compared to the female’s brown color is the easiest way to distinguish between them. The reddish-brown eyes are also a useful field mark for the species.
Abert’s Towhee
In the Southwestern United States, Abert’s Towhee is dark gray and black with a black hood over its head. The male has a black chin, throat and chest while the female’s chin and throat are gray. Both sexes have reddish-brown eyes.
Male Abert’s Towhee
- Black hood
- Black chin, throat and chest
- Dark gray back
- Reddish-brown eyes
Female Abert’s Towhee
- Black hood
- Gray chin and throat
- Dark gray back
- Reddish-brown eyes
The male’s black chin, throat and chest compared to the female’s gray coloring is the most reliable way to tell them apart. The hood and reddish-brown eyes are shared by both sexes.
Collared Towhee
In Mexico and the southwestern United States, Collared Towhees are black, white and gray. The male has a black hood, back and tail with a white wing patch. The female has a brown hood, back and tail with buff-colored underparts. Both sexes have reddish-brown eyes.
Male Collared Towhee
- Black hood
- Black back and tail
- White wing patch
- Reddish-brown eyes
Female Collared Towhee
- Brown hood
- Brown back and tail
- Buff underparts
- Reddish-brown eyes
The male’s black plumage compared to the female’s brown feathers is the easiest way to tell them apart. The white wing patch on the male is also a useful identifying mark.
Identifying Juvenile Towhees
Young towhees have plumage patterns similar to adult females. But juvenile birds have streaking on their underparts that disappears as they mature. Their coloring also appears duller and more muted than adults. These are some ways to identify young towhees:
- Plumage similar to adult female
- Streaked underparts
- Duller, more muted coloration
- Darker bill color
Juvenile towhees can be sexed based on their plumage characteristics matching either adult male or female birds. But the streaking and duller colors help distinguish them from fully mature adults.
Conclusion
While each towhee species has a slightly different plumage pattern, some common themes emerge. Males tend to have black heads, wings and tails. Females have brown plumage in the same areas. White spots, reddish tails, and rufous flanks provide accents on some species. Juveniles resemble adult females but with duller colors and streaked underparts.
Here is a quick summary of how to identify male and female towhees:
Males
- Black heads, wings, tails
- White spots or patches in some species
- Rufous flanks or bellies
- Longer tails
Females
- Brown heads, wings, tails
- Buff underparts in some species
- Rufous flanks
- Shorter tails
So by noting the plumage patterns, especially on the head, wings and tail, birdwatchers can distinguish between male and female towhees. The females are more brown, while the males are strikingly black and rufous. Juveniles appear a duller version of the adult female. With practice, birders can quickly identify the towhees in their backyards and parks.