Green-Tailed Towhee

pipilo chlorurus

The Green-Tailed Towhee is a handsome, secretive sparrow of the American West. Although it belongs to the towhee family, it is the smallest of its kind, distinguished by its vibrant olive-green highlights and a bright rufous crest. This ground-dwelling songbird is notorious for its skulking behavior, spending much of its time darting under dense mountain brush and chaparral where it searches for seeds and insects. When it does emerge, it often climbs to the tip of a sagebrush or scrub oak to deliver a sweet, complex, and buzzy song that carries beautifully across its mountainous home. Discover and identify species like Green-Tailed Towhee with the Snappit app.

Habitat: Found in montane chaparral, dense sagebrush, and arid brushy slopes of the western United States and Mexico.

Appearance

This medium-sized sparrow-like bird measures between 18 and 21 centimeters in length with a wingspan of roughly 24 to 28 centimeters. It is easily identified by its bright rufous-chestnut cap, a crisp white throat patch bordered by dark mustachial stripes, and a clean grey breast. True to its name, its long tail and the outer edges of its wing feathers are a conspicuous olive-green. The bill is dark and conical, perfectly adapted for cracking seeds, and the legs are a pale pinkish-grey.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderPasseriformesFamilyPasserellidaeGenusPipilo

Green-Tailed Towhee

Interesting facts

Despite its bright rufous cap and green highlights, the Green-Tailed Towhee is the smallest of all North American towhee species.

During the breeding season, males will defend territories of up to 1.5 hectares, using the highest twigs of sagebrush as singing posts.

Their common call note is a buzzy, nasal 'mew' that sounds incredibly like a lost kitten calling from the bushes.

Special abilities

Utilizes a rapid, synchronized backward jump to kick away leaf litter with both feet simultaneously, exposing hidden insects and seeds.

Sings from deep inside dense shrubs with muffled tones that make it incredibly difficult for predators to pinpoint its exact location.

Possesses short, rounded wings and strong legs that allow it to navigate thick, tangled underbrush with remarkable speed and silence.

Measurements & details

Length: 18+ cm
Wingspan: 24+ cm
Weight: 0.024+ kg
Lifespan: 3+ years
Top Speed: 25 km/h
Clutch Size: 2+
Incubation: 11+ days
Migration Distance: 1500 km

Diet & Feeding

Feeds primarily on a mix of seeds and small insects found in ground litter, shifting to a high-protein insect diet during the spring and summer breeding seasons.

Primary Foods

Beetles
Caterpillars
Grasshoppers
Sagebrush seeds
Wild berries

Foraging Method

Foraging Scratching The Ground Litter Under Shrubs For Seeds And Bugs Or Picking Berries From Low Branches In Arid Environments Or Chaparral Scrublands Where It Skulks Around For Long Periods Of Time Each Day And Avoids Open Ground Habitats To Minimize The Risk Of Avian Predators Like Hawks Or Small Mammals That Can Be Found In Similar Habitats In Western North America Especially During Migration Seasons Or Nesting Times Of Year When Demands Are High For Energy Dense Nutrients Like Fats And Proteins To Feed Their Youngsters Or Provide Themselves With The Necessary Stamina To Make The Long Seasonal Journeys Back And Forth Each Year To And From Wintering Grounds In Mexico And The Southwestern Parts Of The United States Of America Where Dense Scrubland Is Abundant And Safely Harbors These Birds During The Colder Months When Food Is Scarce Elsewhere In The High Country Altitudes They Normally Breed In During The Summer Months Of The Year Since They Favour High Altitude Chaparral And Montane Habitats Which Grow Arid As Autumn Advances Forcing Them Southward

Ecological connections

parasite

Brown-headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

Hosts the parasitic eggs of this species, which can reduce the nesting success of the towhee.

eaten by

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Frequently preys upon nesting adults, fledglings, and eggs within the dense chaparral canopy.

host plant

Big Sagebrush

Artemisia tridentata

Relies heavily on this shrub for nesting cover, shelter, and foraging grounds.

Traits

No trait badges are assigned for this object yet.

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

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Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Green-Tailed Towhee?

The easiest way to identify Green-Tailed Towhee is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.

How long is Green-Tailed Towhee?

18+ cm

What is Green-Tailed Towhee's wingspan?

24+ cm

How much does Green-Tailed Towhee weigh?

0.024+ kg

How long does Green-Tailed Towhee live?

3+ years

How fast can Green-Tailed Towhee move?

25 km/h

What does Green-Tailed Towhee eat?

Feeds primarily on a mix of seeds and small insects found in ground litter, shifting to a high-protein insect diet during the spring and summer breeding seasons.

Where is Green-Tailed Towhee usually found?

Found in montane chaparral, dense sagebrush, and arid brushy slopes of the western United States and Mexico.