Home, near and far.
The Spotted Towhee is widespread across western North America, from southwestern Canada through the western United States and into the highlands of Mexico and Guatemala.
Birds Heard
FIELD GUIDE
FIELD GUIDE
New World Sparrows
Spotted Towhee
Pipilo maculatus
The Spotted Towhee is a striking, large sparrow found in western North America. It is often heard rustling in leaf litter before it is seen. This species was formerly considered the same as the Eastern Towhee, both known as the Rufous-sided Towhee, until they were split into distinct species in 1995.
Resident, migratoryMedium-sizedVaried song, callsOmnivorous
- Length
- 21 cm
- Wingspan
- null
- Weight
- 40 g
Typical adult measurements.
Individuals and populations vary.
01 / The telltale details
You’ll know it
when you see it.
Start with shape and behavior. Then look for the smaller details.
- 01
Male Plumage
Males have a jet-black head, throat, and upperparts, with bright white spots on the wings and back.
- 02
Female Plumage
Females share the same pattern as males but are warm brown or grayish-brown where males are black.
- 03
Rufous Sides
Both sexes display warm rufous (reddish-brown) flanks that extend to the undertail coverts.
- 04
White Tail Corners
Look for conspicuous white corners on the long, dark tail, especially noticeable in flight.
02 / A place in the world
Where life
takes it.
This towhee prefers shrubby habitats with dense undergrowth and deep leaf litter, such as forest edges, thickets, chaparral, and brushy woodlands. It can also be found in pinyon-juniper woods and even backyards with ample shrubbery.
Stay a while. Or follow the season.
Migration patterns vary; northern interior breeding populations are migratory or partly migratory, while those further south and near coastal areas are increasingly sedentary. Some mountainous populations migrate to lower elevations for winter.
03 / Listen a little closer
A voice
of its own.
The song is a buzzy, rapid trill, which can vary regionally, often starting with a short chirp. Both sexes produce a cat-like mew call.
04 / The life behind the feathers
A day in its world.
On the menu.
Its diet is omnivorous, consisting mainly of insects, spiders, and other arthropods during the breeding season. In fall and winter, plant foods like seeds, acorns, and berries become a more significant part of its diet.
This species primarily forages on the ground, using a characteristic two-footed backward scratch to uncover insects and seeds in the leaf litter. It may also forage in shrubs and low trees for insects and fruits.
A place to begin.
The Spotted Towhee builds an open cup nest, typically on the ground in a shallow depression, or occasionally in a low shrub. The female constructs the nest using leaves, grasses, twigs, and bark strips.
The little routines.
Often secretive, the Spotted Towhee can be hard to spot within dense brush, but males will sing from higher perches, especially in spring. When disturbed from a nest, a female may run away mouse-like rather than fly.
One more reason to pay attention
A familiar face.
A few surprises.
The Spotted Towhee and Eastern Towhee were once considered a single species, the Rufous-sided Towhee, until they were split in 1995.
Male Spotted Towhees may spend 70-90% of their mornings singing early in the breeding season to attract a mate.
The oldest recorded Spotted Towhee lived to be at least 11 years old.
05 / An eye for the difference
Could it be
someone else?
Eastern Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmusThe Eastern Towhee lacks the prominent white spots on its back and wings, appearing dark-backed instead.
California Towhee
Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhees are plainer brown overall, lacking the strong black (or brown) and white patterning and rufous sides of the Spotted Towhee.
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalisWhen flying away in thick brush, the black head and white tail flash of a Spotted Towhee can briefly resemble a Dark-eyed Junco.
Behind these field notesResearch & references · 12 sources
AI-assisted species research. Prepared September 2026. Details can vary across regions and populations.