My towhees are back

[GoddessOfGuinness]

Saw one this afternoon. Yay!

[femmocrat]

1. How beautiful!

I don't think I've ever seen a towhee! (I'm in western PA and feed the birds year-round.)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. They like to scrub around in the underbrush...

I've never seen one at my feeders, though I've seen them rummaging for stuff in the leaves that collect next to the fence near the feeders.

[Fran Kubelik]

2. it's no longer rufus sided?

i have no idea what that means, and am certain i misremember what you actually posted. :hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. I may have misidentified them as rufous-sided...

I'm sure they're towhees; but I need to get a better look at them. :D

[pitohui]

5. rufous sided was split into spotted and eastern towhee

whichever species it is, it is one of the two birds formerly known as the rufous sided towhee unless they changed it again while i wasn't looking (always possible, i'm no sparrow expert)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. My old Peterson's guide calls them rufous-sided...

It must have changed since my edition was printed.

[pitohui]

8. i don't remember when the change was made

it seems every year there is a round of changes somewhere in the nomenclature

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. Someone should create a loose-leaf bird guide...

That can be updated simply by adding or eliminating pages.

[tigereye]

6. he's ? a cutie!

I don't think I've seen those either. Birds here near the city are fairly pedestrian varieties...

:hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

15. I was surprised how many years it took for me to even notice them...

But I happened to be gardening in the right spot one day. :hi:

[WritingIsMyReligion]

10. What is that?

It's hilarious--poof bird! I love poof birds. :D

Gee, birds up here are pretty standard--sparrow-y things, chickadees, robins, cardinals, some blue jays, finches, then seagulls and what have you, and hawks. Never seen one of those poofers!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. Here's a page about them...

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Eastern_Towhee.html#map

[TZ]

11. I love these birds

Seen them occasionally in the State Park near my house..You are lucky to have them in your yard. Pretty. :)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. I guess there are a few advantages to

an unkempt yard. :rofl:

[raccoon]

12. Aww..thanks for the pic. I guess they are back from their migration?

Is that a baby one?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

18. We're in the breeding range...

They tend to prefer a little south of us for year-round residency. I found the pic on the internet. I think it's an adult, though.

[AllegroRondo]

13. We got our first one this spring!

saw him hanging around our feeder on Easter weekend. hope he comes back.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. I bet he will...

As long as there's food around!

[Haole Girl]

14. That's a great pic!!

That bird is so cute and fluffy!! :D

[GoddessOfGuinness]

21. I googled it...

He is a cutie, isn't he?

[LostinVA]

20. They just showed up at our feeder a couple days ago

In NONJ.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

22. Must be spring!

:hi:

[Withywindle]

23. "Drink your tea!"

That's how my dad taught me to identify the towhee's call when I was, geez, couldn't even read yet.

Hearing that sound will always take me back (VA/MD rural childhood). I miss those birds. :hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

24. I just learned to recognize their song...

:hi:

[Withywindle]

25. Catchy, isn't it?

My dad is a (now-retired) park ranger, and his love of all things in the natural world (especially birds. And lichens.) was the best of his many gifts to me.


I spotted a junco in a vacant lot here in Chicago on my way to work one morning and almost burst into tears.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

26. It is a wonderful gift...

I hope my kids can appreciate it as well...