# Spotted Towhee (*Pipilo maculatus*) The Spotted Towhee is a colorful bird with black, white, and rusty orange feathers. They love to hop around on the ground looking for seeds and insects to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 68 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Spotted Towhee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Spotted_Towhee_4167am_%28cropped%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Vickie J Anderson, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spotted_Towhee_4167am_%28cropped%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Spotted Towhee is a chunky bird with a black head, throat, and back, marked with bright white spots on its wings and back. Its sides are a rich rufous-brown, and it has striking red eyes, making it distinctive from other ground-dwelling sparrows. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Passerellidae - **Genus:** Pipilo ## Interesting facts - Despite their name, many don't migrate far, staying local year-round! - Their bright red eyes stand out, making them look extra sharp and alert! - They sing a cheerful 'drink-your-tea' song, often heard just before rain! - When foraging, they do a cute 'double-scratch' dance with both feet! ## Special abilities - **Leaf Litter Excavator:** Spotted Towhee can find hidden insects by using a unique two-footed backward scratch, like a mini excavator, to uncover tasty treats. - **Warning Whistler:** Spotted Towhee has a loud 'chewink' call that helps them warn other birds about danger, keeping everyone safe in the brush. - **Seed Cracker Beak:** Spotted Towhee can crack open tough seeds with its strong, cone-shaped beak, accessing nutritious food sources that others can't. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 17-21 cm - **Wingspan:** 25-30 cm - **Weight:** 0.03-0.049 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-8 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-6 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 0 km ## Diet & Feeding These omnivores primarily scratch for insects, spiders, and seeds on the ground. - **Primary Foods:** Beetles, Caterpillars, Ants, Spiders, Grass seeds, Berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A common aerial predator that hunts small birds. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — An introduced predator that captures ground-dwelling birds. - **Eats:** Silky Ant (*Formica fusca*) — Often foraged from leaf litter and undergrowth. - **Eats:** [Pacific Poison Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-poison-oak) (*Toxicodendron diversilobum*) — Consumes the seeds, showing tolerance to the plant. - **Shelter:** Snowberry (*Symphoricarpos albus*) — Dense shrubs provide cover for nesting and hiding. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Spotted Towhee? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Spotted Towhee? 17-21 cm ### What is Spotted Towhee's wingspan? 25-30 cm ### How much does Spotted Towhee weigh? 0.03-0.049 kg ### How long does Spotted Towhee live? 2-8 years ### How fast can Spotted Towhee move? 40 km/h ### What does Spotted Towhee eat? These omnivores primarily scratch for insects, spiders, and seeds on the ground. ### Where is Spotted Towhee usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Arastradero Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arastradero-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Arroyo Conejo Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arroyo-conejo-open-space) — California, US · Park - [Atchison Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atchison-village) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Barrio De Analco Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrio-de-analco-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Benbow Lake State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/benbow-lake-state-recreation-area) — California, US · State Park - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Spotted Towhee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/spotted-towhee) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Spotted Towhee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-towhee)