California Towhee
Melozone crissalis
They perform a unique 'double-scratch' foraging maneuver, where they hop forward and quickly kick both feet backward to uncover hidden seeds in the dirt.
- Scientific name
- Melozone crissalis
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Passerellidae › Melozone
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- urban
- Habitat
- Chaparral, coastal scrub, oak woodlands, and suburban gardens.
- Diet
- Primarily seeds and small fruits, supplemented by ground-dwelling insects and spiders.
- Range
- California, Oregon, Baja California
- Size
- 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) in length
- Lifespan
- 6-12 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Predation by domestic cats, habitat fragmentation, and window strikes.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These birds are common in backyards and parks. Observe from a distance (5-10 feet) to avoid disrupting their foraging. If you find them tapping on your windows, they are likely defending their territory against their own reflection; applying window decals can help.
The California towhee ( Melozone crissalis ) is a bird of the family Passerellidae, native to the coastal regions of western Oregon and California in the United States and Baja California Sur in Mexico.
Photo: Channel City Camera Club, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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