White-throated Towhee
Melozone albicollis
The White-throated Towhee (Melozone albicollis) is a rare new world sparrow found only in Mexico, weighing about 46 g. The white-throated towhee is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows.
About the White-throated Towhee
The white-throated 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.
How to identify it
The white-throated towhee is a large sparrow with a long tail, 18.5 to 22.5 cm (7.3 to 8.9 in) long and weighing 42 to 50 g (1.5 to 1.8 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a brown crown and nape. They have a white supercilium to the eye, some whitish below the eye, and a blackish stripe on the cheek. The rest of their face is brown above and chestnut below. Their upperparts and tail are brown. Their wing is mostly brown with white on the median coverts that shows as two wing bars. Their chin is white and their throat rusty cinnamon with white under it. Voice: The white-throated towhee's song is described as "very high warbling...strident in places, accelerating and rising in pitch in phrases includes --pirrup-pirrup-pirrup--". Another description is "a series of chipping notes with one or more introductory notes, chik chik tchu-chu-chu-chu chi-i-ir". Its call is "a slurred metallic churenk".
Where it lives
When to see it
The White-throated Towhee can be seen all year round, with peak activity in March. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a White-throated Towhee?
- The white-throated towhee is a large sparrow with a long tail, 18.5 to 22.5 cm (7.3 to 8.9 in) long and weighing 42 to 50 g (1.5 to 1.8 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a White-throated Towhee?
- The White-throated Towhee is a small sized bird weighing about 46 g.
- Where can you see a White-throated Towhee?
- The White-throated Towhee is endemic to Mexico, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a White-throated Towhee?
- The White-throated Towhee is most easily confused with the Prevost's Ground Sparrow, the Rusty-crowned Ground Sparrow and the Cabanis's Ground Sparrow.
- Is the White-throated Towhee endangered?
- The White-throated Towhee is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the White-throated Towhee for real
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