Photo: Alan Vernon / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
California Towhee
Melozone crissalis
California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 52.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passerellidae New World Sparrows
- Genus Melozone
- Species crissalis
Where it lives
Western USA and also Baja California (northwestern Mexico)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 52.8 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The California Towhee is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The California Towhee is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) is a member of the Passerellidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA w USA and also Baja California (nw Mexico).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 52.8 g, with a wing length of about 8.9 cm and a tail of around 10.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 333,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the California Towhee?
The California Towhee is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 52.8 g.
Where does the California Towhee live?
The California Towhee is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA w USA and also Baja California (nw Mexico), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the California Towhee belong to?
The California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the California Towhee eat?
The California Towhee is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the California Towhee migrate?
The California Towhee is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the California Towhee endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the California Towhee make?
1 real field recording of the California Towhee — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the California Towhee's range?
The California Towhee has a mapped global range of about 333,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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