California Towhee

Melozone crissalis

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About the California Towhee

The California towhee (Melozone crissalis) is a bird of the family Passerellidae, native to the coastal regions of western Oregon and California in the United States and Baja California and Baja California Sur in Mexico. The taxonomy of this species has been debated. At the higher level, some authors place the towhees in the family Fringillidae. Within the group, there has been debate about whether the distinction between this species and the similar canyon towhee (Melozone fuscus) should be at the specific or subspecific level. The two species used to be grouped together as the brown towhee, yet today they are identified separately, especially because of their differing feather coloration, and the canyon towhee's dark central breast spot.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name: Melozone crissalis
Family: New World Sparrows
Order: Passeriformes

Similar species

Other members of the new world sparrows family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

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