BeakBrain
Menu
Bird GuideDaily BirdCamsTripsCommunityGet the app

Collared Towhee

Pipilo ocai

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernEndemicInvertebratesForestCup nestMedium · 61 g
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 1
Photo: datadan · CC BY 4.0
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 2
Photo: Forest Botial-Jarvis · CC BY 4.0
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 3
Photo: Forest Botial-Jarvis · CC BY 4.0
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 4
Photo: Trevor Van Loon · CC BY 4.0
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 5
Photo: Trevor Van Loon · CC BY 4.0
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 6
Photo: nmoorhatch · CC BY 4.0
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 7
Photo: nmoorhatch · CC BY 4.0
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 8
Photo: Carlos Domínguez-Rodríguez · CC BY 4.0
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 9
Photo: Carlos Domínguez-Rodríguez · CC BY 4.0
Collared Towhee (Pipilo ocai), photo 10
Photo: Carlos Domínguez-Rodríguez · CC BY 4.0

ID tip

The collared towhee is 19.5 to 23 cm (7.7 to 9.1 in) long. It is the heaviest member of its family though some other towhees are longer; males weigh 61 to 68 g (2.2 to 2.4 oz) and females 54.5 to 62.5 g (1.9 to 2.2 oz). Its wing chord is 7.9 to 9.2 cm (3.1 to 3.6 in), its relatively short tail is 8.9 to 10.6 cm (3.5 to 4.2 in), the bill is 1.5 to 1.8 cm (0.59 to 0.71 in), and the tarsus is 2.8 to 3.4 cm (1.1 to 1.3 in). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies P. o. Voice: The collared towhee's song is variable; examples are "clee-o-weet-ship-trrr", "wheer-tseet-tseet-trrr, treee-chit-chit-chit", and "chree-tsit-tsit-trrr". It makes zhree and jor-ee calls.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Collared Towhee

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 11 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is March, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Collared Towhee

Regular range

The map shades 1 country with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Mexico

About the Collared Towhee

The collared towhee is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is endemic to Mexico.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus) Green-tailed TowheePipilo chlorurusThe green-tailed towhee is about 18 cm (7.1 in) long and weighs on average about 29 g (1.0 oz). Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) Spotted TowheePipilo maculatusThe spotted towhee is a large New World sparrow, roughly the same size as a gray catbird. Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) Eastern TowheePipilo erythrophthalmusThe eastern towhee is a large and striking species of sparrow.

Side by side: Collared Towhee vs Eastern Towhee · Collared Towhee vs Spotted Towhee · Collared Towhee vs Green-tailed Towhee

Learn the Collared Towhee in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Every photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.