Adult © Jamie Chavez
Adult © Luke Seitz
Adult © John van Dort
Juvenile © Don Roberson
+ 2
Adult © M Kwan

California Towhee Melozone crissalis

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Identification

POWERED BY MERLIN

Large, stocky, long-tailed sparrow. Uniform matte brown, with rich cinnamon tones on face and orange undertail coverts. Also note very limited streaking on upper breast with no central spot. Occurs in chaparral and other tangled shrubby, dry habitats. At home in neighborhoods and gardens in lowland California towns. Forages primarily for seeds by running and hopping on the ground. Visits feeders. Essentially no range overlap with the very similar Canyon Towhee; also note California has plain brown crown and obvious rusty tones on face.

POWERED BY MERLIN