Abert's Towhee

I love this bird, but he/they can be a nuisance! Our bedroom patio door has a reflective finish. The towhee loves to challenge himself in our window. He sits on the ground and attacks the window. Then he'll fly around the corner and attack the bedroom window in the same manner. This was initially annoying and noisy. But we got used to it. Finally, when it stopped, we were concerned that a neighbor's cat may have gotten him. We missed the visits. Finally, after several months, he was back and attacking again. We were glad that nothing had happened to him. Now we have quite a few towhees at our feeder and the attacks are rare.

Description: Black face, buffy-brown underparts, grayish-brown upperparts, pale conical bill, dark eye, black area around base of bill, rusty undertail coverts, long tail, juvenile (spring to fall) lightly spotted below

Habitat and behavior: Desert valleys, mesquite, streamside thickets, riparian areas with cottonwood and willow trees, suburban yards, orchards, farms, towns. Shy and difficult to see. Found at lower elevations than Canyon Towhee.

The Abert's Towhee is a non-migratory bird that averages 9.5 inches in length and weights 1.7 oz. It's body is brown, gray, and rust with pale gray/brown underparts with reddish brown undertail coverts and mahogany red eyes.

Abert's Towhees are monogamous, solitary nesters, and their nests are made of bark, leaves and vines lined with dead grass and hair, and built in tree or brush 25 to 30 feet above the ground. Two to five blue/white eggs with dark brown speckles are laid, and the female incubates the eggs for approximately 14 days.

Main food items are seeds and insects.

The Abert's Towhee is an inconspicuous bird because they hide in thick undergrowth and rarely fly any distance. A group of towhees are known as a 'tangle' and a 'teapot' of ... read moretowhees.