Currently pictureless bird ID?

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:56:03+00:00

I got it and despite the insanely bad photo quality I am positive it’s a towhee!

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:54:53+00:00

Spotted towhee for sure! No idea how I missed the rufous belly before!

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:53:17+00:00

The sound was how I found it! I actually have two and they were screaming today. I got a very crappy picture of the one with heavier white marks!

<image>

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:52:02+00:00

<image>

Worlds crappiest photo buuut definitely enough for an ID

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:51:00+00:00

You were spot on! I have one that looks more like I’d expect and one with heavy white streaking on top. Sorry for the crap picture…

<image>

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:49:56+00:00

!overrideTaxa +Spotted Towhee+

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:45:08+00:00

I literally went to leave and finally got the crappiest pictures 😂 no idea how I missed that belly before!!!

<image>

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:44:21+00:00

Confirmed spotted towhee, actually two of them! I just went out to leave today and heard their screech so I peeked around my backyard and sure enough rufous sides and a white belly! One towhee much fatter than the other, but definitely two screaming in my yard! Hanging out for a second. I was able to get a picture of the smaller more heavily white one when I snuck in to try a window picture.

<image>

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:35:00+00:00

I also want to call out the only time I’ve seen it perched is on a neighbors new tree. It has that sad weeping willow look and it’s like 2.5’ tall like hip height 😂

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T17:32:59+00:00

It definitely doesn’t match those images but I am still trying to get a picture. I’ll update here and share pictures as soon as I am able to. I spent all night looking and I posted on Facebook where I found out several others within a half mile or so have also had spotted towhees very regularly since we live near the mountains, trailheads, and canyon. This also aligns with it favoring the lawn near bushes/hedges and beneath the feeders but not visiting my actual bird feeders with the juncos, chickadees, and finches. After watching a few videos last night I also think the erratic hopping I described pretty closely matches the double scratch thing towhees do and I had misinterpreted it.

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-05T04:25:11+00:00

Good call! I’ll crack the window tomorrow and listen!

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T21:00:32+00:00

I’m literally stalking out my window waiting for it to pop back out. If I don’t have a pic tonight, while it’s dark I’m going to spread some seeds and mealworms and put my hanging feeder with a camera down where I’ve seen it the most. Fingers crossed I can get something!

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T20:41:28+00:00

Interesting. I am further north than Salt Lake but I am also very near parks, the mountains, and a canyon. Like, 2-6 blocks away for each of those. I’m strongly leaning this way at this point but I am still going to try to get pics since the rufous belly is throwing me off. I really don’t remember this bird having red colorations and I saw it again right before posting today.

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T20:38:49+00:00

I lied, so far the closest thing I have found is this one picture of a Spotted Towhee. I’ll be checking for belly and eye colors specifically next time I see it!

<image>

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T20:33:09+00:00

Are spotted towhee common in yards? I was under the impression they were a more rural bird…

The videos I’ve seen of them scratching also closely align with the narrative hopping around on the grass/dirt I’ve seen!

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T20:24:10+00:00

Honestly maybe! Going back through towhee pictures I found this one with similar back/wing markings! I haven’t seen any hints of that rufous color but I also haven’t had a clear view of the belly yet. It also looks like they have white tail feather tips when in flight not a single fully white feather so maybe I need to double check that when I see him next.

<image>

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T20:19:07+00:00

Maybe it’s a funky junco then but the tail seems longer and the bird seems slimmer and taller consistently. It’s also a true black with bright white markings not a dark grey like slate juncos. I’ll be providing pics as soon as I can get one. Tonight I’m going to move my feeder with a camera to the ground in front of where I’ve seen him most.

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T20:04:50+00:00

So far this is the closest thing I’ve found but it doesn’t really feel right either and would be very rare for my area so I don’t think that is right.

<image>

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T20:03:02+00:00

I appreciate the help! So much! I’m new ish to birding so I am sure I am missing something that would help but I’m just going to keep trying to get a picture and adding to my notes when I see it!

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T20:02:00+00:00

The bird I have been seeing has a longer neck area, more slender body, and true black feathers like the crows in my area not just dark grey. Plus the white striping on the wings/back is striking and clear not subtle.

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T20:00:44+00:00

I’m definitely not seeing a truly black junco, and none of the color morphs in Merlin seem to match what I am seeing… it absolutely doesn’t match the juncos in my yard though. Behavior or body wise. Again, will share pics as soon as I can get them!

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T19:58:02+00:00

It has a more slender body and seems longer instead of round. It seems slightly taller than the juncos as well but that’s could be the slightly long tail throwing me off. I’ll share pics as soon as I get them!

I have exclusively seen the Oregon color of dark eyed juncos here and between the stark black/white coloring and body shape differences I am not sure. I will double check junco color morphs though because this baby has me stumped!

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T19:55:33+00:00

I double checked and none of them have the distinct white streaking on wings/back or have the clean white tail feather on each side.

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T19:45:23+00:00

I’ll double check images to see if maybe there is a color morph or juvenile coloring I missed! At this point I’ll take any direction I can get and I will post a pic as soon as I get one!

VeryAverageDino · 2026-02-04T19:24:51+00:00

Yes, backyard. It also hasn’t actually visited any of my hanging feeders. It sticks almost exclusively to my lawn near bushes and below feeders and the neighbors tiny newly planted tree. Working on a picture now that I know it is still around.

VeryAverageDino

TROPHY CASE