The California towhee is a bird of the family Passerellidae, native to the coastal regions of western Oregon and California in the United States and Baja California and Baja California Sur in Mexico.
Region
Pacific coast of the United States and northwestern Mexico
Typical Environment
Found from extreme southwestern Oregon through most of California into northern Baja California and Baja California Sur. It favors chaparral, coastal sage scrub, oak woodlands, riparian thickets, and suburban gardens with dense shrub cover. Typically stays close to the ground, using hedges, brush piles, and native understory for cover. Common in urban edges and parks as long as there is ample low vegetation.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The California towhee is a familiar backyard bird in much of California, often heard giving sharp metallic chip notes from low shrubs. Pairs maintain year-round territories and long-term bonds, frequently seen foraging together on the ground. It was formerly lumped with the Canyon Towhee as the 'Brown Towhee' before being split into separate species. Its double-scratch foraging style kicks aside leaf litter to uncover seeds and insects.
Temperament
bold yet territorial, often tame around humans
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low bush-to-bush flights
Social Behavior
Usually seen as pairs that hold and defend territories year-round. Nests are placed low in dense shrubs or small trees; the cup is built of grasses and twigs. Multiple broods may be raised in a season, and both parents feed the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a simple, rapid series of metallic chips that accelerates slightly and can sound monotone. Calls are sharp, ringing chink or pink notes, often repeated persistently from cover.
Plumage
Uniformly plain brown with a slightly darker face and a warm rufous wash on the vent and undertail coverts; minimal streaking and a smooth, matte appearance.
Diet
Eats a mix of grass and weed seeds, small fruits and berries, and a variety of insects and other invertebrates. Frequently performs a double-scratch to kick aside leaf litter and expose food. Will visit patios and garden edges to pick at spilled seed or fallen berries, especially in winter.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the ground under shrubs, in brushy edges, and along paths and lawns adjacent to cover. Uses thickets and hedgerows for quick refuge between feeding bouts.
