Quick Answer
No, Spotted Towhees are not considered rare birds. They have a large range across western and central North America and can be found in appropriate habitats across much of this region. Their global population size is estimated to be around 11 million individuals. While they have declined in some areas, particularly in the eastern part of their range, Spotted Towhees remain common in many areas in the west. They are not currently considered threatened or near threatened from a conservation perspective.
Spotted Towhee Overview
The Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) is a large sparrow found in brushy habitats across western and central North America. Here are some key facts about this species:
- Scientific name: Pipilo maculatus
- Other common names: Rufous-sided Towhee, Oregon Towhee
- Range: Breeds from British Columbia to Baja California, east to the Great Plains, with isolated populations along the eastern seaboard. Winters in the southern parts of the breeding range.
- Habitat: Brushy, shrubby areas including chaparral, forest edges, overgrown fields
- Description: Sparrow-like with a long dark tail and reddish-brown sides. The back is brown and the chest and belly are white with black spotting.
- Length: About 8.5 inches (21 cm)
- Diet: Seeds, insects, berries
The Spotted Towhee is a large, striking sparrow that prefers bushy shrublands. The male has a black hood, wings, and back, contrasting with its white belly and rufous sides. The white spots on its wings and back give rise to its common name. Females are similar but have a brown hood instead of black.
Spotted Towhee Population and Conservation Status
Spotted Towhees have an extremely large range and are found across much of western and central North America. According to the IUCN Red List, their global population is estimated at around 11 million individuals. Their numbers are believed to be stable or even increasing in the western part of their range, including along the Pacific Coast, the southwestern United States, and western Canada.
In the eastern part of their range, particularly in the Great Lakes region and New England, Spotted Towhee numbers have declined since the 1960s. Habitat loss is believed to be the main reason for the declines in the east. However, across their entire range Spotted Towhees are not considered near threatened or threatened. They are classified as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
So while localized declines have occurred in some areas, overall Spotted Towhees remain common and widespread across their expansive range in North America. They can be readily found in suitable habitats in many regions such as chaparral and scrublands of California and the southwest. They are not currently at risk of extinction and are not considered rare or threatened from a conservation perspective.
Spotted Towhee Habitat
Spotted Towhees inhabit dense, brushy areas within dry woodlands, riparian areas, and the edges of forests. They favor sites with plenty of cover and a dense shrub layer. Some typical habitats include:
- Chaparral
- Sagebrush
- Scrub oak thickets
- Forest-field edges
- Overgrown clearcuts
- Second growth forest
- Riparian vegetation
They are often found along woodland trails where the vegetation is thick. Backyards with tangled brush piles or dense shrubs also attract these birds.
Within their brushy habitat, Spotted Towhees spend much of their time on or near the ground foraging and hopping around in search of food. The cover provides them protection from predators. At night they typically roost on the ground concealed in dense vegetation.
In the west, Spotted Towhees can adapt to habitats created by disturbances like fire or logging that increase the density of shrubs. They have also learned to utilize brushy habitats in developed areas. Their flexible habitat use helps contribute to their widespread distribution and abundance.
Spotted Towhee Diet
Spotted Towhees are omnivorous, feeding on a varied mixture of seeds, insects, and berries. Their diet consists of:
- Seeds and acorns from trees like oak, pine, maple, and elm
- Grains and weed seeds
- Berries and fruits from plants like wild grapes, blackberry, and poison oak
- Arthropods like beetles, true bugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and snails
- Sometimes small vertebrates like tree frogs and lizards
They forage primarily on the ground, using their strong legs to scratch and kick away leaf litter as they search for food. Their curved bill is adapted for cracking hard seeds and acorns.
Spotted Towhees will also occasionally forage in low bushes and trees. They sometimes make short flights to catch insects or hang upside-down to reach fruits. Their diverse, flexible diet likely aids their ability to utilize a variety of habitats across their range.
Spotted Towhee Song and Sounds
The Spotted Towhee’s most recognizable call is a loud, ringing series of “towhee” notes. Other calls include metallic chips, a high-pitched seee note, and a cat-like mew. The male’s song is a musical trilling made up of short tonal buzzy phrases.
You can listen to Spotted Towhee sounds below:
The “towhee” call carries far and can be heard from quite a distance. It is most frequently made by males advertising their territory or communicating with their mate. Listen for the sounds of Spotted Towhees ringing out from dense thickets when visiting appropriate habitat.
Spotted Towhee Behavior
Spotted Towhees are somewhat skulking birds that spend much of their time on or near the ground probing through dense vegetation. They prefer to hop when moving rather than fly. When flushed, they typically fly just a short distance to the safety of cover.
Outside the breeding season they may form small flocks, sometimes mixing with other sparrows and towhee species. But Spotted Towhees are generally territorial and even defensive of their home ranges.
Males occupy and defend a breeding territory in the spring. After choosing a mate, pairs remain together during the breeding season and may even stay together from year to year. They are often seen foraging together.
Nests are built on the ground or very low in bushes. The female builds the nest and incubates the eggs alone, but both parents help feed the young. Towhees are prone to parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds that lay eggs in their nests.
In winter, they may join mixed flocks with other species like chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches. This helps them find food and gain safety in numbers.
Spotted Towhee Nesting
The Spotted Towhee breeding season runs from April to July, varying slightly across their range. They raise one or sometimes two broods per year.
Nests are made of grasses, bark strips, leaves, and feathers built on the ground or very low in shrubs or dense tangles. The nest is constructed by the female over 6-8 days.
Clutches contain 3-5 eggs that are creamy white with reddish-brown spotting. Only the female incubates the eggs for about 12-14 days.
Both parents feed the young through the 13-14 day nestling period. Towhee chicks leave the nest at 10-12 days old but are still unable to fly and remain vulnerable on the ground. Parents continue caring for their offspring for several weeks after they fledge.
Nesting success is impacted by predation from animals like snakes, cats, and chipmunks. Brood parasitism by cowbirds also reduces productivity. But despite challenges, many pairs are able to successfully raise young each season.
Spotted Towhee Migration
Spotted Towhees are short-distance migrants. Northern populations move southward for the winter, and southern populations are joined by migrants from farther north. But they do not undertake long migrations like some birds.
In fall, they start migrating in September and October. They return to breeding areas by February and March. Their winter range extends from southern Canada through the southern U.S. into Mexico.
Some northern interior populations appear to migrate east and west rather than directly south. Coastal populations in the Pacific Northwest are relatively sedentary. There is also evidence of reverse migration, with some western populations migrating north and east rather than south in winter.
Despite short-distance movements, Spotted Towhees exhibit strong site fidelity. Banded birds have returned to the same breeding site year after year. Their patterns of migration and overwintering contribute to maintaining stable populations across their range.
Spotted Towhee Taxonomy
The Spotted Towhee belongs to the family Cardinalidae and is placed in the genus Pipilo, which includes other towhees. There are four recognized subspecies:
- P. m. montanus – breeds in interior western North America
- P. m. curtatus – found along the Pacific Coast
- P. m. clementae – found in central Mexico
- P. m. erythrophthalmus – breeds in the eastern U.S.
The subspecies vary somewhat in size, coloration, and voice. Until 1995, the eastern Spotted Towhee was considered a separate species called the Rufous-sided Towhee. Genetic analysis showed the two forms to be nearly identical and they were lumped into a single species.
Hybrid zones between subspecies occur where their ranges meet, such as between the interior and Pacific Coast forms. This blurring of distinct population boundaries provides evidence of a single cohesive species across their range in North America.
Spotted Towhee vs. Eastern Towhee
The Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) was at one time considered a distinct species from the Spotted Towhee but the two have now been officially lumped into one species. However, there are some differences between the two forms:
Spotted Towhee | Eastern Towhee |
Found in the western and central U.S. | Found in the eastern U.S. |
Back is black in males | Back is brownish in males |
Red eyes | Red eyes |
Paler rufous coloring on sides | Rich rufous coloring on sides |
The two were considered separate species for many decades but can interbreed where their ranges overlap. Ornithologists now consider them to be one species with regional variations. Eastern Towhees are common in the east just as Spotted Towhees are common in the western part of the country.
Spotted Towhee vs. California Towhee
In the West, the Spotted Towhee and California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) occupy similar scrubby habitat. They were also at one time considered a single species called the Canyon Towhee. There are some differences that distinguish the two:
Spotted Towhee | California Towhee |
Red eyes | Brown eyes |
White belly with black spots | Rufous-colored belly lacking spots |
Breeds inland in drier habitats | Breeds in coastal sage scrub |
Found throughout western North America | Limited to California and Baja |
California Towhees breed in the coastal foothills and inland canyons of California and Baja. Spotted Towhees occur more widely throughout drier parts of the west. Where their ranges overlap they sometimes hybridize.
Spotted Towhee vs. Canyon Towhee
The Canyon Towhee (Melozone fusca) is nearly identical in appearance to the California Towhee. In fact, they were considered the same species until 1995. They are now recognized as distinct based on differences in vocals, genetics, habitat, and morphology.
Canyon Towhees are found in arid canyon and hill country of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. California Towhees occur in the coastal regions of California and Baja California. They generally do not overlap in range.
Some differences between the species include:
Canyon Towhee | California Towhee |
Inland arid habitats | Coastal foothills and canyons |
Lacks white spots on wings | White spots on wings |
Browner overall | Grayer overall |
Dark brown eyes | Red-brown eyes |
California and Canyon Towhees replace Spotted Towhees in the drier parts of the southwestern U.S. Where their ranges approach each other, the towhees may hybridize but maintain distinct identities in most regions.
Spotted Towhee Threats and Conservation
Although still common in many areas, Spotted Towhee populations have declined in parts of their eastern range. Habitat loss is seen as the major threat, as overgrown fields, regenerating clearcuts, and scrubby areas have diminished due to development or forest maturation.
Predation by cats may also contribute to declines near human habitation. Collisions with buildings and vehicles likely take a toll near urbanized areas as well.
In the west, Spotted Towhees remain widespread and numerous. Active management such as prescribed burns, timber harvest, and replanting of clearcuts that maintains early successional habitat likely benefits Spotted Towhees. Conservation programs that preserve scrubby habitat help safeguard populations too.
Providing brushy cover, including non-native shrubs, in backyards can help towhees. Keeping pet cats indoors reduces predation risk. Limiting use of pesticides also supports their food sources. Well-designed urban green spaces with native plantings can provide habitat even in developed areas.
While Spotted Towhees face challenges in some locales, their extensive range-wide population and ability to use disturbed habitats help ensure they remain common well into the future. Targeted habitat management and conservation measures in regions of declining populations provide promise for stabilizing and potentially restoring numbers in the long run.
Conclusion
In summary, the widespread and numerous Spotted Towhee continues to inhabit brushy habitats across much of western and central North America. Despite declines in parts of the eastern range, globally they are in no danger of becoming rare or threatened. Their flexible habitat use, short-distance migrations, and high site fidelity all contribute to maintaining substantial populations across a wide geographic area. While conservation efforts can help secure populations in regions of decline, the Spotted Towhee remains a common and adaptable species not currently considered rare. With appropriate scrubby habitat, this distinctive sparrow can be readily found and enjoyed across much of its wide natural range.