Spotted Towhee
Spotted TowheeSpotted TowheeSpotted TowheeSpotted Towhee

Spotted Towhee

Pipilo maculatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Grand Canyon National Park
869 Verified records at Grand Canyon National Park
December 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 Another outdated name for the spotted towhee is the Oregon towhee (particularly for the subspecies Pipilo maculatus oregonus).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 Grand Canyon National Park, based on 869 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Grand Canyon National Park

Green-tailed Towhee
LC

Green-tailed Towhee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pipilo chlorurus

5–10% · With luck
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

50–60% · Likely
Chipping Sparrow
LC

Chipping Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella passerina

30–40% · Possible
White-crowned Sparrow
LC

White-crowned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia leucophrys

10–20% · With luck
Black-throated Sparrow
LC Endemic

Black-throated Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Amphispiza bilineata

5–10% · With luck
Lark Sparrow
LC

Lark Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chondestes grammacus

5–10% · With luck
Song Sparrow
LC Endemic

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

5–10% · Rare
Brewer's Sparrow
LC

Brewer's Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella breweri

5–10% · Rare
Lincoln's Sparrow
LC

Lincoln's Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza lincolnii

<5% · Rare
Vesper Sparrow
LC

Vesper Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pooecetes gramineus

<5% · Rare
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
LC

Rufous-crowned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aimophila ruficeps

<5% · Rare
Black-chinned Sparrow
LC

Black-chinned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella atrogularis

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
50–60
Feb
40–50
Mar
30–40
Apr
40–50
May
40–50
Jun
30–40
Jul
20–30
Aug
20–30
Sep
30–40
Oct
50–60
Nov
50–60
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 Grand Canyon National Park?

About 37% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Towhee sighting in Grand Canyon National Park, based on 869 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Spotted Towhee in Grand Canyon National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Spotted Towhee in Grand Canyon National Park in our monthly data.

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