Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus) is in the New World Sparrows family (Passerellidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 7,191 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Green-tailed Towhee: observations by month (U.S.)
About Green-tailed Towhee
The green-tailed towhee (Pipilo chlorurus) is the smallest towhee, but is still one of the larger members of the American sparrow family Emberizidae.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Green-tailed Towhee by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2,056 | June | May–Sep |
| Arizona | 1,334 | April | Mar–May |
| Colorado | 1,093 | June | May–Sep |
| New Mexico | 681 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Texas | 668 | April | Sep–May |
| Utah | 352 | May | May–Sep |
| Wyoming | 280 | June | May–Aug |
| Oregon | 208 | June | May–Jul |
| Nevada | 196 | June | Apr–Sep |
| Idaho | 127 | June | May–Aug |
| Montana | 60 | June | May–Aug |
| Florida | 21 | January | Jan–Feb |
| Virginia | 14 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Washington | 12 | May | May–Aug |
| Connecticut | 10 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Louisiana | 10 | January | Jan–Feb |
| Pennsylvania | 10 | December | Dec–Dec |
| Nebraska | 9 | May | May–May |
| Tennessee | 9 | February | Feb–Feb |
| Oklahoma | 6 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 6 | January | Jan–Jan |
| District of Columbia | 5 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Kansas | 5 | September | Sep–Sep |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (New World Sparrows)
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Green-tailed Towhee?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from April to September.
Where is Green-tailed Towhee most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Arizona, Colorado.