Black-Headed Grosbeak vs Spotted Towhee

Black-Headed Grosbeak

Pheucticus melanocephalus

How to recognise a black-headed grosbeak?

General appearance

The black-headed grosbeak is a roughly robin-sized bird, measuring around 7 1/2 inches (19 cm). It displays characteristic colors such as black, brown, orange, tan, and white. Its wings are rounded, while its tail can be shaped, notched, squared, or rounded. The bird's notable features include markedly vibrant coloration and size.

Male vs female

For the black-headed grosbeak, the males tend to be dull orange-brown in color with a black head and black-and-white wings. On the other hand, females feature colors and patterns similar to the Rose-breasted Grosbeak but have more pronounced orange undertones beneath and less streaking. In addition, the females often have a darker bill.

Juvenile

Juvenile black-headed grosbeaks resemble the female but are tinged orange below, showing less streaking than their adult counterparts. They also have a bill that is often darker than the adults. Juveniles may experience a change in coloration during the season's transition.

Size

7.1 - 7.5 in/1.4 - 1.8 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The Black-headed Grosbeak primarily breeds in oak woodland, streamside cottonwood and willow groves, pine-oak woods, and pinyon-juniper woodland. It seldom occupies purely coniferous forests.

Additional range

During migration, it can be found in open woods, streamside trees, suburbs, mesquite groves, desert washes. It winters in the open woods and brush of the tropics, ranging from lowlands to mountains.

Range Map

What do black-headed grosbeaks like to eat?

Natural diet

The black-headed grosbeak primarily feeds on a variety of insects, seeds, and berries. During the summer, it consumes numerous insects such as beetles, caterpillars, wasps, bees, and flies, as well as spiders and snails. The bird eats seeds from various weeds and berries from many plant sources, including mistletoe and poison oak, along with some cultivated fruits. Young grosbeaks are largely fed insects initially to support their growth.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, the black-headed grosbeak may be attracted to a range of offerings, including sunflower seeds and suet. These high-energy food sources provide suitable nutrition for the bird outside of its natural diet.

What does a black-headed grosbeak sound like?

The black-headed grosbeak produces vocalizations reminiscent of a robin but are faster, softer, and sweeter. These vocals include a richly warble song and a distinct call note, characterized by an emphatic, slightly metallic 'tick.' The bird's call patterns fall, rise, or undulate, giving its vocals a unique sound. The grosbeak typically produces sounds like chirps, chips, flutes, rattles, and whistles.

Call

Audio by Peter Wilton

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

Song

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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Spotted Towhee

Pipilo maculatus

Also known as: Pipilo

How to recognise a spotted towhee?

General appearance

The spotted towhee is a striking, medium-sized sparrow with bold coloration. It has a prominent black hood, back, and wings, complemented by distinctive white spots on the wings and back. Its sides and flanks are a rich rufous hue, while the belly remains white. A red eye adds to its distinctive look, and it has a robust, rounded body with a long, fan-shaped tail often held aloft.

Male vs female

Males are more vividly colored, displaying deep black on their hoods and backs. Females, in contrast, have a more subdued, dark brown tone replacing the black, providing some camouflage. Both sexes have similar white spots, rufous flanks, and red eyes, which remain consistent throughout their lives.

Juvenile

Juvenile spotted towhees lack the sharp contrasting coloration of adults. They exhibit a more mottled and streaky brown appearance with less vibrant rufous on the flanks. The characteristic white spots on the wings are muted, and the eyes are brown, gradually turning red as they mature.

Size

6.7 - 8.3 in/1.2 - 1.7 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The spotted towhee prefers open woods, undergrowth, and brushy edges. It significantly inhabits chaparral, scrub oaks, and mountain manzanita thickets.

Additional range

Apart from typical wooded terrain, the towhee also lives in unexpected environments like pinyon-juniper woods with dense understory, common in the varied terrain of the West.

Range Map

What do spotted towhees like to eat?

Natural diet

The spotted towhee's diet is diverse and varies with the season. In summer, it primarily consumes insects, including beetles, caterpillars, moths, true bugs, spiders, snails, and millipedes. During other times of the year, it eats many seeds, acorns, berries, and small fruits.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, the spotted towhee commonly consumes seeds such as sunflower seeds and may also enjoy suet or mixed grain varieties.

What does a spotted towhee sound like?

The spotted towhee's vocalizations are distinctive, offering a variety of sounds. Its song comes across as a long, buzzy "cheweeeee". Additionally, it has a particular call that sounds questioningly curious, akin to a "meewww?". When mapping the call's pattern, it appears to be flat and then gradually rising. The types of calls produced by the spotted towhee typically fall into categories such as chirp or chip, trill, and whistle.

Call

Audio by Paul Marvin

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call

Audio by Ron Overholtz

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song

Audio by Richard E. Webster

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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Black-Headed Grosbeak

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Spotted Towhee

Black-Headed Grosbeak

Pheucticus melanocephalus

General appearance

The black-headed grosbeak is a roughly robin-sized bird, measuring around 7 1/2 inches (19 cm). It displays characteristic colors such as black, brown, orange, tan, and white. Its wings are rounded, while its tail can be shaped, notched, squared, or rounded. The bird's notable features include markedly vibrant coloration and size.

Male vs female

For the black-headed grosbeak, the males tend to be dull orange-brown in color with a black head and black-and-white wings. On the other hand, females feature colors and patterns similar to the Rose-breasted Grosbeak but have more pronounced orange undertones beneath and less streaking. In addition, the females often have a darker bill.

Juvenile

Juvenile black-headed grosbeaks resemble the female but are tinged orange below, showing less streaking than their adult counterparts. They also have a bill that is often darker than the adults. Juveniles may experience a change in coloration during the season's transition.

Size

7.1 - 7.5 in/1.4 - 1.8 oz

There's more to learn about Black-Headed Grosbeak

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Spotted Towhee

Pipilo maculatus

Also known as: Pipilo

General appearance

The spotted towhee is a striking, medium-sized sparrow with bold coloration. It has a prominent black hood, back, and wings, complemented by distinctive white spots on the wings and back. Its sides and flanks are a rich rufous hue, while the belly remains white. A red eye adds to its distinctive look, and it has a robust, rounded body with a long, fan-shaped tail often held aloft.

Male vs female

Males are more vividly colored, displaying deep black on their hoods and backs. Females, in contrast, have a more subdued, dark brown tone replacing the black, providing some camouflage. Both sexes have similar white spots, rufous flanks, and red eyes, which remain consistent throughout their lives.

Juvenile

Juvenile spotted towhees lack the sharp contrasting coloration of adults. They exhibit a more mottled and streaky brown appearance with less vibrant rufous on the flanks. The characteristic white spots on the wings are muted, and the eyes are brown, gradually turning red as they mature.

Size

6.7 - 8.3 in/1.2 - 1.7 oz

There's more to learn about Spotted Towhee

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How to tell the Black-Headed Grosbeak from the Spotted Towhee

Visual differences

The Black-Headed Grosbeak is robin-sized (7.5 inches) with distinct orange-brown bodies, black heads, and black-and-white wings. In contrast, the Spotted Towhee is similar in size (6.7 to 8.3 inches), with a black hood, back, white spots on the wings and back, rufous flanks, and red eyes. The grosbeak's bill is more conical and robust, while the towhee has a more slender, pointed bill. The towhee also has a longer, fan-shaped tail, compared to the grosbeak's less pronounced tail shape.

Key differences and behavior

The Black-Headed Grosbeak and Spotted Towhee differ in behavior and habitat preferences. The grosbeak resides in oak woodlands and streamside groves, migrating to more open areas, whereas the towhee prefers open woods and dense shrubby undergrowth. Grosbeaks are known for extensive parental involvement, with both parents feeding chicks, while towhees, nesting on the ground or low shrubs, also share parental duties despite different nesting habits. Foraging behaviors vary: grosbeaks feed mainly on insects, seeds, and berries from elevated perches, while towhees hop on the ground, scratching for insects and seeds. In courtship, grosbeaks perform song flights, whereas towhees use songs from perches. Grosbeaks consume summer insects like beetles and caterpillars, while towhees primarily eat insects, seeds, and berries year-round. At feeders, both species enjoy sunflower seeds and suet. These behavioral traits help distinguish them beyond their physical appearance in the field.