Canyon towhee Pipilo fuscus

Identification Tips:

• Length: 7.25? inches
• Conical bill
• Dark eye
• Rusty crown
• Buffy throat
• Black ring of spots on breast with central breast spot
• Pale gray underparts
• Gray-brown upperparts
• Rusty undertail coverts
• Long tail
• Juvenile (Spring to Fall) heavily streaked below
• Formerly conspecific with California Towhee

Similar species:

The Canyon Towhee is similar to the California Towhee but has a rusty crown and grayer upperparts. Abert's Towhee is buffier and has a black area around the bill.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.