North American field guide
Canyon Towhee
Pipilo fuscus
Also known as:Brown Towhee
Identification
Field notes
22 cm (8-9") Fairly common. Western United States. More interior and in dryer habitat than similar more coastal California Towhee.
Told from California Towhee, by which it was once considered the same species called the Brown Towhee, by being paler and grayer. Also it has a rusty crown, streaked buffy throat and a black central breast spot. Rusty undertail coverts.
Songs of these two closely related species are different.
Song: mellow chipping trill.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
Canyon Towhee Foraging
Credit: StephenramirezzzBirding Texas April 2010 Part 7
Credit: Hummingbirder1Where it lives
Distribution map
Source legend · original intervals
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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.
Canyon 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 · 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 ?
- Has a central spot · 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 ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · 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