Towhee

Towhee

Taxobox
name = Towhees


image_caption = California Towhee "Pipilo crissalis" in a garden
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Emberizidae
genus = "Pipilo"
genus_authority = Vieillot, 1816
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

A Towhee is any one of a number of species of birds in the genus "Pipilo" within the family Emberizidae (which also includes the buntings, American sparrows, and juncos).

Towhees typically have longer tails than other emberizids. Most species tend to avoid humans, so they are not well known, though the Eastern Towhee "P. erythrophthalamus" is bolder as well as more colorful. This species, and some others, may be seen in urban parks and gardens.

There has been considerable debate over the taxonomy of the towhees in recent years. Two species complexes have been identified, the rufous-sided complex (involving "Pipilo erythrophthalmus", "P. maculatus", "P. socorroensis", "P. ocai" and "P. chlorurus"), and the brown towhee complex (involving "Pipilo crissalis", "P. fuscus", "P. aberti" and "P. albicollis"). The distinction of species within these is uncertain and opinions have differed over the years. Modern authorities distinguish all four species in the brown towhee complex, though "P. fuscus" and "P. crissalis" were formerly treated as a single species. Hybrids are frequent between some of the species, particularly between the Mexican races of "P. maculatus" ("Olive-backed Towhee", "P. maculatus macronyx") and "P. ocai".

Species list:
* Green-tailed Towhee, "Pipilo chlorurus",
* Collared Towhee, "Pipilo ocai",

*"Rufous-sided Towhee" - old name, now split into two species:
**Eastern Towhee, "Pipilo erythrophthalmus" and
**Spotted Towhee, "Pipilo maculatus" which contains the
***Olive-backed Towhee, "Pipilo maculatus macronyx",

* Socorro Towhee, "Pipilo socorroensis",

* "Brown Towhee" - old name, now split into two species:
**California Towhee, "Pipilo crissalis" and
**Canyon Towhee, "Pipilo fuscus",

* Abert's Towhee, "Pipilo aberti",
* White-throated Towhee, "Pipilo albicollis"

References

* Zink, R. M., & Dittmann, D. L. (1991). "Evolution of brown towhees - mitochondrial-DNA evidence". Condor 93: 98-105.

External links

* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/familia.phtml?idFamilia=201 Towhee videos] on the Internet Bird Collection


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  • towhee — ☆ towhee [tō′hē, tō′ē ] n. [echoic of one of its calls] any of several large, ground feeding, North American sparrows (family Emberizidae); esp., the rufous sided towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) with a chestnut patch on each flank and, usually,… …   English World dictionary

  • Towhee — To*whee , n. (Zo[ o]l.) The chewink. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • towhee — /tow hee, toh hee, toh ee/, n. any of several long tailed North American finches of the genera Pipilo and Chlorura. [1720 30, Amer.; imit.] * * * Any of several North American songbirds (passerine family Fringillidae, sometimes Emberizidae), long …   Universalium

  • towhee — Chewink Che wink, n. (Zo[ o]l.) An american bird ({Pipilo erythrophthalmus}) of the Finch family, so called from its note; called also {rufous sided towhee}, {towhee}, {towhee bunting} and {ground robin}. [Also spelled {cheewink}.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • towhee — noun Etymology: imitative Date: circa 1729 1. a common finch (Pipilo erythrophthalmus of the family Emberizidae) of eastern North America with the male having reddish sides, white underparts, and black upperparts, head, and neck called also… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • towhee — pipilai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Pipilo angl. towhee vok. Grundammer, f rus. тауи, m pranc. tohi, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – startos siauresnis terminas – apykaklėtasis pipilas siauresnis terminas –… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • towhee — noun any of numerous long tailed American finches • Hypernyms: ↑finch • Hyponyms: ↑chewink, ↑cheewink, ↑Pipilo erythrophthalmus, ↑green tailed towhee, ↑Chlorura chlorura …   Useful english dictionary

  • towhee bunting — noun see towhee * * * tow|hee «TOH hee, TOW », noun, or towhee bunting, any one of various American finches related to the sparrows but larger, such as the Oregon towhee of western North America and the red eyed towhee, also called chewink or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • towhee bunting — Chewink Che wink, n. (Zo[ o]l.) An american bird ({Pipilo erythrophthalmus}) of the Finch family, so called from its note; called also {rufous sided towhee}, {towhee}, {towhee bunting} and {ground robin}. [Also spelled {cheewink}.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • towhee — noun Any bird of the genus Pipilo …   Wiktionary

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