<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='356939'>Spotted Towhee

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Migratrice
  • Scientific Name: Pipilo maculatus
  • Spanish Name: Toquí moteado
  • Family: Passerellidae
  • Known Nicknames: Oregon Towhee, Spurred Towhee, Ground Robin
  • Average Length: 17–21 cm / 6.7–8.3 in
  • Average Weight: 33–49 g / 1.2–1.7 oz
  • Wingspan: 26–30 cm / 10.2–11.8 in
  • Key Feature: Rufous flanks, white spots on dark wings and back, and bright red eyes
  • Primary Diet: Omnivore (primarily insects, seeds, and berries)
  • Range: Western North America, from southwestern Canada through the western United States to southern Mexico
  • Habitat: Chaparral, brushy fields, shrubby forest edges, and backyard thickets
  • Social Structure: Solitary or in pairs, occasionally joining loose mixed foraging flocks in winter
  • Nesting/Breeding: On the ground hidden under shrubs, or low in dense bushes
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : Stable

The Spotted Towhee (*Pipilo maculatus*) is a striking, large sparrow of western North America, instantly recognizable by its dramatic plumage and piercing, ruby-red eyes. Males boast a pitch-black hood and back heavily dappled with crisp white spots, contrasted beautifully by warm, rufous-orange flanks and a clean white belly, while females sport a similar but softer, dark charcoal-brown palette. A master of the undergrowth, this charismatic bird possesses a highly unique foraging behavior known as the "double-scratch"—a frantic, two-footed backward hop used to noisy effect to uncover insects and seeds beneath leaf litter. Often heard before it is seen, the Spotted Towhee adds a lively presence to brushy habitats and forest edges with its buzzy, trilling song and a distinctive, cat-like mewing call.

Faits amusants

To find food, the Spotted Towhee performs a quirky "double-scratch" dance, hopping forward and then slamming both feet backward simultaneously to kick away leaf litter and uncover insects. These fiery, red-eyed birds are also notoriously feisty, often picking relentless fights with their own reflections in windows and car mirrors, which they mistake for territorial rivals. Furthermore, because they nest on or near the ground, parents will perform a clever "broken-wing" distraction display, fluttering helplessly along the forest floor to lure predators away from their vulnerable chicks before casually flying off.

Habitats et répartition

This species thrives in dense, brushy environments, particularly chaparral, shrubby fields, forest edges, and overgrown pastures. It is commonly found in the undergrowth of open woodlands, such as oak or pine-oak forests, as well as in suburban gardens and parks with ample shrub cover. It heavily favors areas with thick leaf litter on the ground, which it utilizes for foraging.

Geographically, the range spans western North America, stretching from southern British Columbia and the Canadian prairies southward through the western United States and deep into southern Mexico. While populations along the Pacific Coast and in the southern parts of the range are year-round residents, those breeding in the northern interior migrate short distances to spend the winter in the southern United States and northern Mexico.

Comportements & Reproduction

During the breeding season, these birds exhibit a solitary and highly territorial social structure, with males actively defending their nesting areas through persistent singing from high perches and aggressive physical displays. They are primarily ground-dwellers, famous for their distinctive "double-scratch" foraging technique where they hop backward to sweep away leaf litter. While they form monogamous pairs for the breeding season, they remain mostly solitary or associate in loose, mixed-species flocks during the winter.

Mating begins with courtship displays where the male spreads his tail to showcase white spots and presents nesting material to the female. The female builds a well-concealed cup nest on or very near the ground, typically under dense shrubbery, where she incubates a clutch of three to five eggs for about twelve to fourteen days. Both parents share the duty of feeding the chicks. To combat high rates of nest predation and frequent brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds, they employ a strategy of raising multiple broods—up to three per year—and will rapidly renest if a previous attempt fails.

Alimentation

The Spotted Towhee is an omnivorous ground-forager whose diet shifts seasonally to maximize available resources, relying heavily on protein-rich beetles, caterpillars, moths, spiders, and snails during the spring and summer breeding seasons. As autumn and winter approach, their diet transitions toward plant matter, including acorns, berries, wild fruits, and various seeds. An intriguing aspect of their feeding behavior is their specialized "double-scratch" foraging technique, in which the bird hops forward and then vigorously leaps backward, using both feet simultaneously to scratch away leaf litter and expose hidden food. To aid in digesting the tough seeds and acorns they consume during the colder months, these birds will also ingest small bits of grit or gravel to help grind down food in their gizzards, and they are known to readily adapt to backyard feeders where they feast on millet and sunflower seeds.

Couleurs

The Spotted Towhee features a striking jet-black (male) or dark brown (female) head and back contrasted by rich rufous flanks and a clean white belly. Its namesake white spots on the wings and back provide excellent camouflage by mimicking dappled sunlight on the forest floor, while its vivid red eyes and white-tipped tail feathers offer sharp, distinctive highlights.

Distribution Map

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