Sunday, 13 November 2022

California Towhee (Melozone crissalis)

OTHER NAMES: Brown Towhee
Latin Etymology: Melozone ("cheek belt") crissalis ("of the vent")

Adult California Towhee (subspecies M. c. petulans) at Berkeley, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Melozone crissalis petulans
Weight: 46-61g  /  Length: 20-25cm  /  Wingspan: 29cm
NO UK STATUSIUCN Red List: Least Concern

A bird found almost exclusively in California and the Baha California Penninsula, it is a member of the New World Sparrows, but by the typical image of that group its body is elongated and it's stance more-thrushlike, though it retains a seed-eaters thick beak.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Passerellidae
Genus: Melozone
SUBSPECIES: M. c. bullata, M. c. carolae, M. c. petulans, M. c. crissalis, M. c. eremophilia, M. c. senicula, M. c. aripolia, M. c. albigula

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Largely endemic to California within the US, with one population in Southern Oregon
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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