California Towhee

California Towhee is common throughout the county, except in the most densely wooded areas, and perhaps somewhat less common right at the coast. You're likely to see this bird in any open area with shrubs and woods nearby, including suburbs, city parks, and on agricultural land. Often first recognized by its loud, bright, chip note. In the spring and early summer, California Towhee sings a more complicated song--one or two of the chip notes (teek!) followed by series of faster notes of the same pitch at diminishing intervals, which may suggest the "bouncing ball" song of Wrentit, and then a short trill at the end at a lower pitch, with the last notes often raspy or guttural.

Overall, drab brownish-grey, with the upper parts and tail somewhat darker than the rest of the bird, the head and throat washed or lightly marked with warmer tones, and distinctly rufous under the tail. A series of darker spots above the breast, at the base of the neck is often hard to see. Male and female birds look alike. Often in pairs or groups of 2-3 pairs. Typically foraging on the ground, often running. Also commonly in low shrubbery or other cover or resting in the lower branches of trees. Sometimes (but not often) perched high in trees (mainly in the spring, during the breeding season). Territorial. Like Spotted Towhee, California Towhee will even defend against its own reflection--in car mirrors, wheel covers, or, at my house, in the stainless steel crusher we use during the grape harvest season. Unlikely to be confused with any other bird. If it looks like a drab, brownish-grey, oversized sparrow, it's probably California Towhee, even if you can't see the rufous under the tail or any of the fairly subtle head markings. Typically has two broods a year.

Older books (and older birders) may refer to this bird as Brown Towhee. This species (which became California Towhee) and a close relative (which became Canyon Towhee, Melozone fusca), were formerly considered the same bird, although there is very little overlap in their ranges (if any). California Towhee was recently moved to the genus Melozone, from Pipilo, in 2011. Older sources will call California Towhee Pipilo crissalis.