This is the western counterpart to Eastern Towhee, with black upperparts and hood, rusty red sides, white belly, reddish eyes, and white at the corners of the long tail. The back and wing coverts have variable amounts of white spotting. The undertail area ranges from buffy on Great Plains birds to cinnamon in the Pacific Northwest. Northwest birds have the least amount of white spotting, approaching Eastern Towhee in appearance, but Spotted Towhees lack the Eastern's white patch at the base of the primaries. Female Spotted Towhees are more brownish on the upperparts, but never as brown as female Eastern Towhees. Juveniles have dark brown upperparts, buffy underparts, and streaking throughout. Hatch-year males may appear spotless, but lack the diagnostic white wing patch of an Eastern Towhee.

Length: 18 (cm) Wingspan: 25 (cm)

Voice:

Song is a harsh ascending trill, sometimes with several introductory notes; ker-chreeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Call is a rising chree. Southwestern birds give a descending chreeer .

Habitat:

Woodlands with brushy understory, riparian corridors.

Behavior:

Like all towhees, most often remains on or near the ground. However, territorial males may sing from perches 10-20 meters off the ground.

Feeding:

Forages mainly on the ground, kicking back with both feet to uncover insects and other invertebrates in the leaf litter. Also feeds on seeds and fruit.