Eastern Towhee

22 cm (7-9") Common. Across eastern United States, southeastern Canada. Wood margins, thickets, dry shrubby vegetation.

Male: black head and upperparts contrast with rufous sides and white belly. Similar western male Spotted Towhee is heavily spotted above with two white wing bars.

Female: uniformly brown with contrasting rufous sides and white belly, white wing patch. Similar western female Spotted Towhee is more grayish and heavily spotted above.

Scratches noisily on the ground in dry leaves.

Until recently lumped in with Spotted Towhee and called Rufous-sided Towhee.

Song: clear "drink-your-TEA"; call to-wheee?

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Credit: Larry Bond