Bird Guide

Savannah Sparrow vs Spotted Towhee

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

Savannah Sparrow

Passerculus sandwichensis

Small20 gGrassland

The Savannah sparrow has a typically sparrow-like dark-streaked brown back, and whitish underparts with brown or blackish breast and flank streaking. It has whitish crown and supercilium stripes, sometimes with some yellow (more often near the beak). The cheeks are brown and the throat white. The flight feathers are blackish-brown with light brown or white border. The eyes are dark. The feet and legs are horn-colored, as is the lower part of the bill, with the upper part being dark grey.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Doug Hynes · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: lwolfartist · CC BY 2.0
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)

Spotted Towhee

Pipilo maculatus

Small39 gForest

The spotted towhee is a large New World sparrow, roughly the same size as a gray catbird. It has a long, dark, fan-shaped tail with white corners on the end. It has a round body (similar to New World sparrows) with bright red eyes and dull pink legs. The spotted towhee is between 17 cm (6.7 in) and 21 cm (8.3 in) long, and weighs in at between 33 g (1.2 oz) and 49 g (1.7 oz). It has a wingspan of 28 cm (11 in). Adult males have a generally darker head, upper body and tail with a white belly, rufous sides, white spots on their back and white wing bars.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Diana Doyle · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Becky Matsubara from Contra Costa County, California · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Savannah Sparrow and Spotted Towhee.