Jacque Lowery

We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.

Reno, Nevada

Moana Nursery,
1100 West Moana Lane
Reno, NV 89509

Phone: (775) 825-0600
Fax: (775) 825-9359
Email: Send Message

Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Additional Website:
Visit our other website

Comments:
Store Managers: David Jones & Alex Johnson; Bird Experts: Jacque Lowery, Carol York & Lisa Braginton

Reno (South), Nevada

Moana Nursery,
11301 South Virginia Street
Reno (South), NV 89511

Phone: (775) 853-1319
Fax: (775) 853-0467
Email: Send Message

Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Additional Website:
Visit our other website

Comments:
Visit Store Manager: Jim Stanton; Bird Experts: Jacque Lowery, Sally Hurd & Steve Packer

Sparks, Nevada

Moana Nursery,
7655 Pyramid Highway
Sparks, NV 89436

Phone: (775) 425-4300
Fax: (775) 425-4340
Email: Send Message

Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Additional Website:
Visit our other website

Comments:
Visit Store Manager: Michelle Gilmore; Bird Experts: Carol York & Michelle Gilmore

January High Desert Bird of the Month: Spotted Towhee

Picture by Jacque Lowery

Spotted towhees are smaller than a robin, about 8 inches. Like many songbirds the male has striking plumage. His head and upper parts are black. They have a thick pointed, black bill, and fire red eyes. The sides are rufous, and the breast and belly are white. White spots stand out on the black back, and wings. The long tail is black with large white spots at the corners which are visible in flight. The female is similar, but has brown where the male has black.

Spotted towhee's main diet is seeds but they also eat insects and fruit. Although they do search for food in trees they mainly forage on the ground. They scratch the ground by kicking both feet backward at the same time to uncover food. These birds prefer to forage in bushes with leaves on the ground, making quite a racket as they rustle through the leaves. If you have a seed feeder near bushes towhees may search for seeds fallen, or sprinkled on the ground.

Their song is a long buzzy chweeee. In some areas the bird is called a chewink because of the sound of their alarm. Other sounds are shenk, chup-chup zedededee, and a cat-like meew call.

Fun Facts About Towhees

Towhees are usually shy skulkers and rush for cover at the slightest disturbance.
There are six species of Towhees in North America; Spotted, Eastern, Green-tailed, Canyon, Abert’s and California. The Spotted Towhee is the most common in our area.
Towhees are members of the sparrow family.
Towhees are ground feeders and use a hop-and-scratch foraging method. While jumping forward with its head and tail up, it kicks its strong legs backwards to uncover its food in the leaf litter on the forest floor or underneath feeders where the seeds are clearly visible.
The name "towhee," a simulation of the bird's call, was coined in 1731 by the naturalist and bird artist, Mark Catesby.
The Eastern Towhee and the Spotted Towhee were both named the Rufus-sided Towhee until 1995 when they were determined to be genetically separate species.
The Spotted Towhee seems to be somewhat hardier than the Eastern Towhee, as it withstands lower temperatures.
About 30 percent of the Spotted Towhee’s food is insects and the rest is seeds and berries.
California Towhees aggressively defend their territories year-round and often battle their own reflections in windows and other reflective surfaces.
The California Towhee was first named as a separate species in 1839. By 1886, it had been lumped in with the Canyon Towhee and both were renamed the Brown Towhee. In 1989, DNA studies once again separated the two species.
California Towhees are known to use the morning dew on plants as a source of water.
Female Green-tailed Towhees distract predators away from their nest by dropping straight down to the ground and running away in a mouse-like fashion.

Jacque Lowery

Reno, Nevada

Reno (South), Nevada

Sparks, Nevada

January High Desert Bird of the Month: Spotted Towhee

Fun Facts About Towhees

Towhees are usually shy skulkers and rush for cover at the slightest disturbance.

There are six species of Towhees in North America; Spotted, Eastern, Green-tailed, Canyon, Abert’s and California. The Spotted Towhee is the most common in our area.

Towhees are members of the sparrow family.

Towhees are ground feeders and use a hop-and-scratch foraging method. While jumping forward with its head and tail up, it kicks its strong legs backwards to uncover its food in the leaf litter on the forest floor or underneath feeders where the seeds are clearly visible.

The name "towhee," a simulation of the bird's call, was coined in 1731 by the naturalist and bird artist, Mark Catesby.

The Eastern Towhee and the Spotted Towhee were both named the Rufus-sided Towhee until 1995 when they were determined to be genetically separate species.

The Spotted Towhee seems to be somewhat hardier than the Eastern Towhee, as it withstands lower temperatures.

About 30 percent of the Spotted Towhee’s food is insects and the rest is seeds and berries.

California Towhees aggressively defend their territories year-round and often battle their own reflections in windows and other reflective surfaces.

The California Towhee was first named as a separate species in 1839. By 1886, it had been lumped in with the Canyon Towhee and both were renamed the Brown Towhee. In 1989, DNA studies once again separated the two species.

California Towhees are known to use the morning dew on plants as a source of water.

Female Green-tailed Towhees distract predators away from their nest by dropping straight down to the ground and running away in a mouse-like fashion.