Towhee SONG-BIRDS. 



Towhee: JPipilo erythrophthalmus* 



Chewirik, Ground Robin. 



Plate 31. 



Length: 7.50-8.75 inches. 



Male : Head, neck, chest, back, and all but outer tail feathers black. 

 Belly and spots on outer tail feathers white, sides light bay. 

 Bill black ; feet light brown. 



Female: Drab or brownish where the male is black. 



Song : Clear and ringing, " Teweek — tew6ek — towhee— blure— towhee 

 blure!" 



Season : Common summer resident ; late April to October. 



Breeds : In its range generally. 



Nest : On the ground ; of grass, fibres, hair, etc. ; large but well con- 

 cealed by underbrush. 



Eggs; White, heavily speckled with brown. 



Bange: Eastern United States and southern Canada, west to the 

 Plains. 



In early May when the Thrushes are scratching in the 

 shrubbery, a stranger appears among them, clad in bay, 

 white, and black, who hops with such exaggerated precision 

 that he seems like a messenger bearing important news. 

 But it is only another of the Sparrow tribe, wearing the 

 thick bill of the Buntings. He has probably been in 

 the vicinity a week or two but has kept aloof. He bears 

 the local name of Ground Eobin, because he nests upon the 

 ground and has partially reddish under parts. 



Although common summer residents they are so shy that 

 they are rarely seen after the breeding-season. If you ap- 

 proach the nest, the male will run through the bushes in an 

 opposite direction, uttering his sharp " teweek, towhee " (a 

 note which suggested the name Towhee) and in his anxiety 

 exposes himself fully to view. Late in the afternoon he 

 mounts a tree, at some distance from his nest, and rings out 

 his rather defiant song. 



He is a very restless bird, prying about continually for 

 seeds and insects, upon which he feeds equally, and in 

 autumn he also eats such berries as he can glean. After 

 the moulting he only gives his call note and, being affected 



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