Spotted Towhee
Spotted TowheeSpotted TowheeSpotted TowheeSpotted Towhee

Spotted Towhee

Pipilo maculatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Olympic National Park
11,450 Verified records at Olympic National Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus) is a large New World sparrow. The taxonomy of the towhees has been debated in recent decades, and until 1995 this bird and the eastern towhee were considered a single species, then named rufous-sided towhee. Another outdated name for the spotted towhee is the Oregon towhee (particularly for the subspecies Pipilo maculatus oregonus). The call may be harsher and more varied than for the eastern towhee. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Towhee sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 11,450 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Olympic National Park

Song Sparrow
LC Endemic

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

30–40% · Possible
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

30–40% · Possible
White-crowned Sparrow
LC

White-crowned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia leucophrys

20–30% · Possible
Golden-crowned Sparrow
LC

Golden-crowned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia atricapilla

10–20% · With luck
Fox Sparrow
LC

Fox Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerella iliaca

10–20% · With luck
Savannah Sparrow
LC Endemic

Savannah Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerculus sandwichensis

10–20% · With luck
Lincoln's Sparrow
LC

Lincoln's Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza lincolnii

<5% · Rare
Chipping Sparrow
LC

Chipping Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella passerina

<5% · Rare
LeConte's Sparrow
LC

LeConte's Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ammospiza leconteii

<5% · Rare
Brewer's Sparrow
LC

Brewer's Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella breweri

Insufficient data
White-throated Sparrow
LC

White-throated Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia albicollis

<5% · Rare
Clay-colored Sparrow
LC

Clay-colored Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizella pallida

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

30–40
Jan
30–40
Feb
30–40
Mar
30–40
Apr
20–30
May
20–30
Jun
20–30
Jul
20–30
Aug
20–30
Sep
30–40
Oct
30–40
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
60–70%
2 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
3 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
4 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
5 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
6 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
30–40%
7 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
8 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
9 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
10 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
11 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
12 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
13 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
14 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
15 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
16 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
17 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
18 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
19 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
20 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
21 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
22 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Spotted Towhee in Olympic National Park?

About 29% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Towhee sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 11,450 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Spotted Towhee in Olympic National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Spotted Towhee in Olympic National Park in our monthly data.

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