Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) is in the New World Sparrows family (Passerellidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 57,924 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
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 Spotted Towhee: observations by month (U.S.)
About Spotted Towhee
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, the Rufous-sided Towhee. An archaic name for the spotted towhee is the Oregon towhee (Pipilo maculatus oregonus).From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Spotted Towhee by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 26,624 | May | Dec–Jul |
| Washington | 7,991 | April | Dec–Jul |
| Oregon | 6,176 | April | Sep–Jul |
| Colorado | 4,186 | May | Apr–Aug |
| Texas | 4,165 | January | Nov–Apr |
| New Mexico | 2,478 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Arizona | 2,064 | May | Oct–Aug |
| Utah | 1,710 | May | Dec–Jul |
| Nevada | 526 | December | Oct–Jul |
| Idaho | 387 | April | Mar–Sep |
| South Dakota | 298 | June | May–Jul |
| Montana | 263 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Oklahoma | 231 | April | Oct–Apr |
| Nebraska | 218 | May | Apr–Jul |
| North Dakota | 182 | June | May–Aug |
| Kansas | 120 | December | Oct–Apr |
| Wyoming | 71 | May | May–Jul |
| Missouri | 51 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Minnesota | 30 | November | Oct–Jan |
| Illinois | 29 | December | Nov–Feb |
| Maine | 14 | December | Dec–Jan |
| Wisconsin | 14 | January | Nov–Jan |
| Massachusetts | 13 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Iowa | 12 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Michigan | 11 | October | Oct–Nov |
| Ohio | 11 | January | Nov–Jan |
| Delaware | 6 | February | Jan–Mar |
| Alaska | 5 | December | Nov–Jan |
| Arkansas | 5 | January | Jan–Feb |
| Florida | 5 | March | Mar–Apr |
| New Hampshire | 5 | February | Jan–Feb |
| New York | 5 | January | Jan–Jan |
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
California Towhee
Eastern 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 Spotted Towhee?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from October to July.
Where is Spotted Towhee most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Washington, Oregon.