Juvie Spotted Towhee

Juvie Spotted Towhee by Tygh
Juvie Spotted Towhee, a photo by Tygh on Flickr.

As a juvenile, a Spotted Towhee looks very different from its adult parents. The adults have very dark backs, rusty-colored sides, white breasts, and red eyes as well. The juveniles are brown and nondescript. In fact, the first time I saw one, I had no idea what it was. One thing tip off is that the tails are essentially the same. There are white spots on the outer edges of the tails and these are the smoking gun that distinguishes them from any other large sparrow you might run into.

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