Abert's towhee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abert's towhee |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Melozone
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| Species: |
aberti
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| Synonyms | |
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Pipilo aberti |
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The Abert's towhee (Melozone aberti) is a special bird that lives in the southwestern parts of North America. It belongs to the family Passerellidae. You can mostly find this bird near the lower Colorado River and Gila River areas. It is almost only found in Arizona. But you might also see it in small parts of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Sonora in Mexico. This bird was named after an American bird expert, James William Abert.
What Does It Look Like?
Abert's towhees are easy to recognize. They have long tails and dark faces. Their feathers are mostly brown. These birds are related to sparrows and juncos. But they look more like thrashers.
You might confuse them with the California towhee. However, the Abert's towhee has a much darker face. These two bird species only live in slightly overlapping areas.
The Abert's towhee is one of the longest birds in its family, Emberizidae. It can be about 21 to 25 centimeters (8.3 to 9.8 inches) long. A big part of this length comes from its long tail, which is about 10 to 12 centimeters (3.9 to 4.7 inches) long.
Male Abert's towhees usually weigh between 40 and 54.1 grams (1.4 to 1.9 ounces). Females are a bit lighter, weighing from 39.5 to 51 grams (1.4 to 1.8 ounces).
Where Do They Live?
Abert's towhees like to live in brushy areas near rivers. These places are found in the Lower Sonoran Desert zone. They prefer to stay hidden under bushes.
These birds face some challenges. Sometimes, other birds like cowbirds lay their eggs in the towhee's nest. This is called nest parasitism. Also, their natural homes are sometimes lost.
But Abert's towhees are good at adapting. They have moved into suburban areas, like the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area. You can often see them on the campus of Arizona State University.
Even though they live in a small area, they are not considered endangered. In fact, they have even started to expand their living areas. You can now find them along the Santa Cruz River. They are also seen in Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona.
What Do They Eat?
Abert's towhees usually look for food on the ground. They search among thick bushes for seeds. But they also eat insects.
Like other towhees, they scratch the ground to find food. They do this in a way that looks like quail. Sometimes, they will even dig up and eat grubs. If you want to attract them to a bird feeder, you can put cracked corn on the ground.
- Interactive range map of Pipilo aberti at IUCN Red List maps
See also
