Photo: Vickie J Anderson / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Spotted Towhee
Pipilo maculatus
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 39.3 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 Pipilo
- Species maculatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 39.3 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spotted Towhee is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Spotted Towhee is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) is a member of the Passerellidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw Canada to w Guatemala.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 39.3 g, with a wing length of about 8.4 cm and a tail of around 9.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spotted Towhee?
The Spotted Towhee is a small bird that weighs around 39.3 g.
Where does the Spotted Towhee live?
The Spotted Towhee is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw Canada to w Guatemala, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Spotted Towhee belong to?
The Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Spotted Towhee eat?
The Spotted Towhee is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Spotted Towhee migrate?
The Spotted Towhee is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Spotted 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 Spotted Towhee make?
1 real field recording of the Spotted Towhee — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Spotted Towhee's range?
The Spotted Towhee has a mapped global range of about 3.6 million 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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