Melozone aberti
The Abert's Towhee (Melozone aberti) is a distinctive medium-sized New World sparrow, endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Measuring approximately 8.7-9.4 inches (22-24 cm) in length with a wingspan of about 11-12 inches (28-30 cm) and weighing between 1.4-2.1 ounces (40-60 g), it possesses a rather plain yet elegant appearance. Its plumage is uniformly sandy to grayish-brown above, transitioning to a slightly paler, buffy-brown underside, and notably accented by ric...
Found primarily in dense riparian thickets, mesquite bosques, desert washes, and often in suburban parks and gardens that provide dense cover and water in arid and semi-arid regions, typically at elevations below 4,000 feet (1,200 meters).
Their diet consists mainly of insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and caterpillars, supplemented by a variety of seeds from grasses and forbs, and occasionally small fruits.
Abert's Towhees are primarily diurnal, spending most of their time foraging on the ground, often hidden within dense vegetation. Their distinctive foraging technique involves a vigorous 'double-scratch,' where they hop forward and then backward, using both feet simultaneously to expose insects an...
The Abert's Towhee's range is restricted to a relatively small area in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, primarily centered around the Lower Colorado River basin. In the US, its breeding and year-round distribution includes southern Arizona, southeastern California, southern...
Least Concern
- The Abert's Towhee was named in 1852 by Spencer F. Baird after its discoverer, Colonel James W. Abert, an American ornithologist and explorer. - It is one of the few bird species found almost exclusively within the Lower Colorado River watershed. - This species is a classic example of a 'desert...