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Feb 22, 2021

Winter sighting of Spotted Towhee in London, Ontario

Photo by Dave Kemp
 SPOTTED TOWHEE

(Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

A Spotted Towhee has made several rare winter appearances at a feeder alongside the Thames River in London, Ontario, in the middle of February.  Four different birders have spotted the towhee and recorded its presence.  The Spotted Towhee normally resides in the western and  central United States, south-western Canada and central Mexico.   Its appearance is generally noticed as different from the Eastern Towhee by the white spots on its back.   The photo above was taken four years ago by my Delta, B.C. friend and birder Dave Kemp.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

1 comment:

Tilly said...

I once saw a Spotted Towhee when I lived in a condo down by the Thames near Highbury and Kilaly. That was probably five years ago now, sadly I've never seen one again. It was flitting about in a tree behind our deck, probably November/December, I remember it not being Christmas yet but it was snowing. It's such a lovely, large bird. At first glance I thought it was a robin, but the rust colour is different and the spots on the wings are very striking. To hear that they're still around the Thames gives me hope I might see one again some day!