Bird guide · Pipilo maculatus
Spotted Towhee
What the spotted towhee eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Partial migrant
- Size
- 8.3 in (21 cm)
- Eats
- millet, seed mixes, black oil sunflower
- Feeds
- ground, tray/platform
- Most common
- Washington, New Mexico, Oregon
Food
What do spotted towhees eat?
At feeders, spotted towhees take millet, seed mixes, black oil sunflower.
Scratches in leaf litter under dense cover; will visit feeders near woodland.
Feeder that suits it
A low tray or platform feeder, or seed scattered on the ground below your feeder.
Range
Where do spotted towhees live?
Widespread in the West; northern interior birds spread onto the Great Plains in winter. By share of all bird sightings, spotted towhees are most common in Washington (2.3%).
States where spotted towhees are most common
- Washington2.3%
- New Mexico2.1%
- Oregon2.1%
- Colorado1.2%
- California1.2%
- Utah1.2%
- Nevada0.8%
- South Dakota0.6%
- Idaho0.6%
- Arizona0.6%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are spotted towhees, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the spotted towhee migrate?
Partial migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in June.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are spotted towhees, by month.
Identification
How to identify the spotted towhee
Adults: Dark hood and back with bold white spots, rusty sides and white belly.
Size: 8.3 in (21 cm)
On camera
Getting the spotted towhee on a feeder camera
Most visits happen on the ground or on low trays. A camera feeder with a wide tray, placed low near cover, catches far more than a hanging tube.
Questions
Spotted Towhee: questions
What do spotted towhees eat?
At feeders, millet, seed mixes, black oil sunflower.
Do spotted towhees migrate?
Partial migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in June.
Where do spotted towhees live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Washington, New Mexico, Oregon, Colorado, California. They are rare or absent in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia.
What does a female spotted towhee look like?
Similar; upperparts black or grey.
More birds