California Towhee

Melozone crissalis

Notes 2

Common in backyards and parks. Often in pairs. Orangey under the tail and a bit on the chin, and otherwise the plainest, most bird-shaped bird I ever did see. Call a single piercing "chip!" that sounds like a smoke detector low battery, or string of chip-chip-chipchips: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/california_towhee/id

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Lucina M, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/83785593@N00/190297770
  2. (c) sea-kangaroo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNaturalist NZ Map

Color brown, orange
Status native