598 U.S. NATIONAL IVIUSEUM BULLETIN 23 7 part i 



PIPILO ERYTHROPHTHALMUS MEGALONYX (Baird) 



San Diego Towhee 



PLATES 32 AND 33 



Contributed by James E. Crouch 



Habits 



The rufous-sided towhee of southwestern California was described 

 by Baird in 1858 under the name Pipilo megalonyx. The type locality 

 is Fort Tejon, Kern County, Calif. The distinguishing characteristics 

 of P. e. megalonyx, according to Swarth (1913), are "Coloration very 

 dark, and white markings restricted. Adult male (and sometimes the 

 immature male as well) with the entire back uniformly deep black 

 (except for the usual white markings), the rump being deep black 

 instead of more or less gi-ayish or olivaceous. Hind claw longer than 

 in any other California race of Pipilo maculatus." 



The behavior of P. e. megalonyx differs in no important way from 

 that of other populations of the rufous-sided towhee. The bird seldom 

 forages in the open or on bare ground. It shows a strong preference 

 for situations which give a good overhead cover, some lateral cover, and 

 a ground surface well supplied with humus and litter. This pro- 

 vides protection and desirable foraging. These conditions are 

 provided by the coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia), said by Davis 

 (1957) to be "optimal undertree foraging sites for Spotted Tow- 

 hees." Other oaks (Q. douglassi and Q, lobata) are commonly 

 used, as are willow (Salix sp.) and other streamside species 

 of plants. Rufous-sided towhees are found in chaparral, but mostly 

 where there are clumps of larger shrubs. The chamise (Adenostoma 

 fasciculatum) and Cahfornia sagebrush (Artemisia californica) provide 

 good cover, but little litter. Where there are large isolated shrubs of 

 Toyon (Photinia arhutifolia), blue elderberry (Sambucus coeridea), or 

 lemonade berry (Rhus integrifolia) , the towhees are likely to be found. 

 Other plants forming good cover and forage areas are coffeeberry 

 {Rhamnus californica), redberry (Rhamnus crocea var. ilicijolia), 

 poison oak (Rhus diversiloha) , California blackberry (Rubus ursinus), 

 California wild rose (Rosa californica), and coast ceanothus (Ceanothus 

 ramulosus) . 



In the forested moimtain areas such as at Palomar and the Laguna 

 Mountains of San Diego County the rufous-sided towhees are seen 

 mostly in the clumps of brush at the forest edge or isolated brushy 

 areas out in the meadows. Where the forests give way at the abrupt 

 eastern sides of the mountains these towhees are commonly seen in 

 the heavy brush of the upper slopes. Here they are found in the 

 company of black-chinned sparrows (Spizella atrogularis). 



