Credit: das_miller
North American field guide
California Towhee
Pipilo crissalis
Also known as:Brown Towhee
Explore this bird
Identification
Field notes
22 cm (8-9") Fairly common. Western United States. in coastal states; southwestern Oregon to northern Baja California. Brushy hillsides, wooded canyons, chaparral, suburban gardens.
Streaked, rusty or buffy throat. Rusty undertail coverts. Long dark tail.
Was called Brown Towhee along with similar but paler Canyon Towhee.
Song: accelerating series of "chink" notes.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
California Towhee (Panasonic TM90)
Credit: MackM48California Towhee
Credit: Paul MariottiniWhere it lives
Distribution map
Source legend · original intervals
Loading the rebuilt map…
Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Bird 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.
California Towhee (Brown 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 · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
- Uniform color · Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Dark band or bands running across the breast or neck · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- 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 was the THROAT ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · 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 ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 · Northwestern Canada or 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 · Northwestern Canada or United States