General

Green-tailed Towhee: Large sparrow with olive-green upperparts and pale gray underparts. Crown is rufous, throat is white with black stripes, and bill is gray. Wings and tail are edged with olive-yellow. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is streaked overall with pale gray underparts, brown upperparts, and pale, black-streaked throat.

Range and Habitat

Green-tailed Towhee: Breeds from central Oregon south through mountains to southern California and Great Basin to southeastern New Mexico. Spends winters at lower elevations and south to southern Arizona and central and southern Texas; also migrates to Mexico. Preferred habitats include dry scrublands, primarily scrub oak, mountain mahogany, sagebrush, saltbrush, serviceberry, and pinyon-juniper.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"swee-too weet chur cheee-churr"

Interesting Facts

 The Green-tailed Towhee is the only entirely migratory towhee. It is also the smallest towhee.

 Their scientific name roughly translates to “colorful chirper,” and their common name attests to the bright yellow-green of their tail.

 A group of towhees are collectively known as a "tangle" and a "teapot" of towhees.

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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