Abert's Towhee
Encyclopedia
The Abert's Towhee is a bird
of the family Emberizidae
, native to a small range in southwestern North America
, generally the lower Colorado River
and Gila River
watersheds, nearly endemic to Arizona
, but also present in small parts of California
, Nevada
, Utah
, New Mexico
, and Sonora
in Mexico
.
This bird is common in brushy riparian habitats in the Lower Sonoran desert
zone but may require some effort to see as it prefers to stay well-hidden under bushes. Though threatened by cowbird
nest parasitism
and habitat loss, it has successfully colonized suburban environments in the Phoenix, Arizona
metropolitan area and may be fairly easily seen on the campus of Arizona State University
. Despite its limited range, it is classified as a species of least concern in the IUCN Redlist, and there has been some range expansion along the Santa Cruz River as well as in Oak Creek Canyon
near Sedona.
Abert's Towhees are recognized by their relatively long tails, dark faces, and overall brown plumage. They are related to sparrow
s and junco
s but are more similar to thrasher
s in appearance. They can be confused with California Towhee
s, but their dark faces are distinct, and the range of these species only slightly overlaps. They are about 9.5 inches (241.3 mm) long and weigh around the average of 1.7 ounces, and their wingspan ranges from 12 to 13 inches (330.2 mm) long.
These birds are often seen foraging among dense brush for seeds. Like other towhees, they scratch at the ground in a manner similar to quail, and will sometimes dig up and eat grubs. They can be attracted to feeders by providing cracked corn on the ground.
The name of this bird commemorates the American ornithologist James William Abert
(1820–1897).
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
of the family Emberizidae
Emberizidae
The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill.In Europe, most species are called buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the sparrows, the...
, native to a small range in southwestern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, generally the lower Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
and Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
watersheds, nearly endemic to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, but also present in small parts of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, and Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
This bird is common in brushy riparian habitats in the Lower Sonoran desert
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
zone but may require some effort to see as it prefers to stay well-hidden under bushes. Though threatened by cowbird
Cowbird
Cowbirds are birds belonging to the genus Molothrus in the family Icteridae. They are brood parasitic New World birds which are unrelated to the Old World cuckoos, one of which, the Common Cuckoo, is the best-known brood parasitic bird....
nest parasitism
Brood parasite
Brood parasites are organisms that use the strategy of brood parasitism, a kind of kleptoparasitism found among birds, fish or insects, involving the manipulation and use of host individuals either of the same or different species to raise the young of the brood-parasite...
and habitat loss, it has successfully colonized suburban environments in the Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
metropolitan area and may be fairly easily seen on the campus of Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. Despite its limited range, it is classified as a species of least concern in the IUCN Redlist, and there has been some range expansion along the Santa Cruz River as well as in Oak Creek Canyon
Oak Creek Canyon
Oak Creek Canyon is a river gorge located along the Mogollon Rim in northern Arizona located between the cities of Flagstaff and Sedona. The canyon is often described as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon because of its scenic beauty...
near Sedona.
Abert's Towhees are recognized by their relatively long tails, dark faces, and overall brown plumage. They are related to sparrow
American sparrow
American sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming part of the family Emberizidae. American sparrows are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns....
s and junco
Junco
A Junco , genus Junco, is a small North American bird. Junco systematics are still confusing after decades of research, with various authors accepting between three and twelve species...
s but are more similar to thrasher
Thrasher
Thrashers are a New World group of passerine birds related to mockingbirds and New World catbirds. Like these, they are in the Mimidae family. There are 15 species in one large and 4 monotypic genera.These do not form a clade but are a phenetic assemblage...
s in appearance. They can be confused with California Towhee
California Towhee
The California Towhee, Melozone crissalis, is a bird of the family Emberizidae, native to the coastal regions of western Oregon and California in the United States and Baja California Sur in Mexico....
s, but their dark faces are distinct, and the range of these species only slightly overlaps. They are about 9.5 inches (241.3 mm) long and weigh around the average of 1.7 ounces, and their wingspan ranges from 12 to 13 inches (330.2 mm) long.
These birds are often seen foraging among dense brush for seeds. Like other towhees, they scratch at the ground in a manner similar to quail, and will sometimes dig up and eat grubs. They can be attracted to feeders by providing cracked corn on the ground.
The name of this bird commemorates the American ornithologist James William Abert
James William Abert
James William Abert was an American soldier, explorer, ornithologist and topographical artist.-Early life:...
(1820–1897).
Interesting facts
- The Abert's Towhee has one of the smallest total distributions of any U.S. birds species, making it much sought after by birders who travel to the Southwest desert to observe it.
- They are an inconspicuous bird because they forage in thick undergrowth and rarely fly any great distance.
- They are threatened by cowbird nest parasitism and habitat loss, although some have successfully colonized suburban environments in the Phoenix, Arizona area. They may also be seen on the campus of Arizona State University.
- A group of towhees are collectively known as a "tangle" or a "teapot" of towhees.