Credit: Alan Vernon
North American field guide
Abert's Towhee
Pipilo aberti
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Identification
Field notes
24 cm (9-10") Locally common. within its limited range in arid southwestern United States. Brushlands, desert streams, mesquite, suburban yards, orchards. Secretive.
Upperparts brown. Underparts buffy. Cinnamon undertails coverts. Black on face surrounds base of bill. Resembles California Towhee but paler and browner.
Song: mellow chipping trill suggests a Canyon Towhee, sharp "peak" call.
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Abert's Towhee
Credit: manolodorechoAbert's Towhee - Backyard Birds
Credit: theplainticketBird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 2 rules
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Abert's Towhee
2 rulesRule 1 14 criteria · confidence 4
- Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
- No · Unknown
- What SIZE was the TAIL ?
- Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
- Uniform · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
- Uniform color · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Songbird (ground or perching bird)
- WHERE was the bird seen ?
- Southwestern United States
Rule 2 6 criteria · confidence 4
- Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?
- Yes
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
- List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?
- Noisily scratching in the underbrush or leaves
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Identify from a Unique Behaviour
- What type of environment was the bird seen in?
- Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest
- WHERE was the bird seen ?
- Southwestern United States