Canyon Towhee
Melozone fusca
To find food beneath dense leaf litter, the Canyon Towhee performs a rapid 'double-scratch' hop, leaping forward and kicking both feet backward simultaneously.
- Scientific name
- Melozone fusca
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Passerellidae › Melozone
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- desert
- Habitat
- Arid foothills, rocky canyons, desert scrub, chaparral, and brushy suburban yards.
- Diet
- Primarily seeds and insects, including beetles, ants, caterpillars, and occasional wild berries.
- Range
- Southwestern United States, Mexico
- Size
- Length: 7.9-9.8 in (20-25 cm), Wingspan: 11.5 in (29 cm)
- Lifespan
- Up to 7-10 years in the wild.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation from urban sprawl, predation by domestic cats, and pesticide use reducing insect populations.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These inquisitive birds are comfortable around humans and often forage in parks or backyards. Maintain a respectful distance of 5 to 10 feet to avoid startling them. They pose no threat; if they approach, simply enjoy watching their unique double-scratch foraging dance.
The canyon towhee ( Melozone fusca ) is a bird of the family Emberizidae.
Photo: Gonzalo Zepeda Martínez, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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