Spotted Towhee

These robin-sized birds are fun to watch as they dart in and out of the underbrush, grabbing morsels to take back with them. They eat insects, fruits, seeds, acorns, and sometimes small snakes and lizards. I caught the one pictured here as it hopped up on his watering hole to get a drink.

(More images and information HERE.)

Spotted Towhee

The Spotted Towhee makes a lot of noise rustling around in dense underbrush, digging through leaves and twigs to find seeds, berries, and insects on the ground. They spend most of their time in thick underbrush, except for their mating ritual. Living in the Trans-Pecos Mountains during breeding season, they winter throughout Texas. At first glance the elusive Spotted Towhee can be mistaken for a Robin, but closer examination will reveal the obvious differences. Females are somewhat more drab and pale than the males. We saw this guy down in Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle.

Male Spotted Towhee