Pipilo maculatus

My evening bird walks around Lake Chabot have been yielding some terrific species. Today I saw my first Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Wrentits, and Warbling Vireo of the year, as well as a Wilson's Warbler, Hutton's Vireo, and this Spotted Towhee. The heavy bird activity out there right now has done a lot to keep my spirits up; I'm so thankful for the birds sometimes.

This New World sparrow was once grouped with the Eastern Towhee as one species, the Rufous-Sided Towhee, though they've since been separated. The Spotted differs in the presence of white spots on the wings, and its range being limited to the western portion of the U.S. It spends most of its time scratching up the ground for insects or hopping through the understory, but it can also be found perched high in trees when singing. Its range of vocalizations is extremely varied. I can't count the times I've been out birding, heard an unfamiliar song, and been excited at the prospect of a new and exotic bird, only to find that, after painstakingly stalking the mystery bird, it was in fact a Spotted Towhee.