Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Pipilo ("to cheep") erythrophthalmus ("having red eyes")

Adult Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) at Necedah, Wisconsin - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: Pipilo erythrophthalmus erythrophthalmus
Weight: 32-53g  /  Length: 17-23cm  /  Wingspan: 20-30cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Formerly considered conspecific with the Spotted Towhee, the Eastern Towhee is a near-endemic species of the USA, whose range ends at a fairly straight line from the Minnesota-North Dakota Border down to the Southernmost point of Texas. A versatile species that is able to colonise disturbed areas successfully.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Passerellidae
Genus: Pipilo
SUBSPECIES: P. e. erthyrophalmus, P. e. canaster, P. e. rileyi, P. e. alleni

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Found in the Eastern half of the Lower 48.
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen at Necedah, Wisconsin

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

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Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)

OTHER NAMES: Rufous-sided Towhee, Oregon Towhee 
Latin Etymology: Pipilo ("to cheep") maculatus ("spotted") 

Adult male Spotted Towhee (subspecies P. m. falcifer) at Roy's Redwoods, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Pipilo maculatus falcifer
Weight: 33g  /  Length: 17cm  /  Wingspan: 28cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A distinctively patterned bird, the Spotted Towhee is a bird of upland forest and scrub - they are closely related to the similar looking Eastern Towhee, with which it was formerly considered a single species. Given their favoured habitat, their colonisation of an area tends to follow regrowth after fires, which means that smaller scrubland can re-establish for a while.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Passerellidae
Genus: Pipilo
SUBSPECIES: P. m. oregonus,  P. m. falcifer,  P. m. megalonyx, P. m. clementae, P. m. umbraticola, P. m. consobrinus, P. m. arcticus, P. m. curtatus, P. m. falcinellus, P. m. monatus, P. m. gaigei, P. m. griseipygius, P. m. orientalis, P. m. maculatus, P. m. sympatricus, P. m. vulcanorum, P. m. oaxacae, P. m. chiapensis, P. m. repetens, P. m. macronyx, P. m. socorroensis

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found in much of the Western Unted States
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP:  Seen at Roy's Redwoods

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

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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 STATUS/ IUCN 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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