Spotted Towhee
Spotted TowheeSpotted TowheeSpotted TowheeSpotted Towhee

Spotted Towhee

Pipilo maculatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Big Bend National Park
1,429 Verified records at Big Bend National Park
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus) is a large New World sparrow. The taxonomy of the towhees has been debated in recent decades, and until 1995 this bird and the eastern towhee were considered a single species, then named rufous-sided towhee. Another outdated name for the spotted towhee is the Oregon towhee (particularly for the subspecies Pipilo maculatus oregonus). The call may be harsher and more varied than for the eastern towhee. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Towhee sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 1,429 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Big Bend National Park

Green-tailed Towhee
LC

Green-tailed Towhee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pipilo chlorurus

10–20% · With luck
Canyon Towhee
LC

Canyon Towhee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melozone fusca

40–50% · Likely
Black-throated Sparrow
LC Endemic

Black-throated Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Amphispiza bilineata

40–50% · Likely
Chipping Sparrow
LC

Chipping Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella passerina

40–50% · Likely
White-crowned Sparrow
LC

White-crowned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia leucophrys

30–40% · Possible
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
LC

Rufous-crowned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aimophila ruficeps

30–40% · Possible
Lark Sparrow
LC

Lark Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chondestes grammacus

10–20% · With luck
Lincoln's Sparrow
LC

Lincoln's Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza lincolnii

10–20% · With luck
Brewer's Sparrow
LC

Brewer's Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella breweri

10–20% · With luck
Vesper Sparrow
LC

Vesper Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pooecetes gramineus

10–20% · With luck
Lark Bunting
LC

Lark Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calamospiza melanocorys

10–20% · With luck
Clay-colored Sparrow
LC

Clay-colored Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella pallida

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
20–30
Feb
20–30
Mar
30–40
Apr
30–40
May
30–40
Jun
30–40
Jul
20–30
Aug
5–10
Sep
20–30
Oct
20–30
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
60–70%
2 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
3 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
4 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
5 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
6 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
30–40%
7 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
8 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
9 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
10 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
11 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
12 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
13 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
14 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
15 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
16 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
17 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
18 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
19 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
20 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
21 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
22 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Spotted Towhee in Big Bend National Park?

About 32% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Towhee sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 1,429 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Spotted Towhee in Big Bend National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Spotted Towhee in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.

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