Abert’s Towhees are large grayish-brown sparrows, about the size of a robin, with rusty colors under their tail.
- Melozone aberti
- Length: 8.3-9.1 in (21.2-23.1 cm)
- Weight: 1.5-1.9 oz (42.5-54.9 g)
- Wingspan: 10.4-11.6 in (26.5-29.5 cm)
Range
Habitat And Diet
They are found on the ground in dry habitats in dense undergrowth by desert streams and riverbeds in a very small area predominantly in southwestern Arizona.
Abert’s Towhees forage for insects such as beetles, ants, caterpillars, cicadas, and grasshoppers. They will also eat some seeds, especially grasses, in winter.
Abert’s Towhees Sounds:
Male Abert’s Towhees’ song often starts with a few short notes and then speeds up.
Nests
Nests of Abert’s Towhees are built in dense vegetation about five feet above the ground. The nest is made from leaves and bark, and grass.
They lay up to four eggs, and these take around two weeks to hatch and a further two weeks for the young to leave the nest. After that, however, the parents look after the young for another month.
Attract Abert’s Towhees to your yard by adding a water feature such as a birdbath and adding native plants. They will also visit ground feeders for seed.
Fun Fact:
Abert’s Towhees have one of the smallest ranges of any bird in North America.
