Bird of the Week | Spotted Towhee

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Spotted Towhee

Pipilo maculatus

Photo by Mary Kiesau

"It's that time of year when we are starting to see fewer birds. The long-distance migratory birds like our warblers are long gone, and many species who just head a little bit south or simply fly over the Cascades to the west side of the state have been on the move in the last recent weeks. Some species do a little of both where some individuals within a species stay here in Okanogan County and some individuals head to the westside - and one of them is the Spotted Towhee.

If you have winter feeders, you are likely to see this bird eating seeds on the ground. A large sparrow with flashy rufous underparts and white spots on black wings, this bird is noticeable, but it's also conspicuous because of the noises it makes.

It makes a wide variety of call notes, from the telephone ring trill that can be confused with a Junco to a cat-like mew. But it also makes quite a racket foraging around in bushes and on the ground. One website called it "industrious scratching," as the towhee uses both feet to kick back at the same time in a noisy commotion in search of seeds. They are fun to watch!"

— Mary Kiesau, Local Naturalist and Photographer

Photo by Mary Kiesau

Fun Facts!

Information from the Seattle Audubon Society

Spotted Towhees typically eat seeds, but during their breeding season they will often eat, and feed their young, insects and various arthropods.
When it comes time for breeding season, females will pick out a well concealed nesting location on the ground and will build their nest out of bark, grass, and leaves.
The Spotted Towhee and the very similar Eastern Towhee used to be considered the same species, the Rufous-sided Towhee, until 1995.

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