Towhees

Woodland edges, shrubby fields and dense, shrubby areas in gardens are favourite
haunts of this colourful ground-dweller. A stroll through Stanley Park or along the
bushy edges of a woodland will invariably evoke the Spotted Towhee's distinctive call:
a nasal, up-slurred, questioning Wheer? Its song (heard mostly during the breeding
season when it is actively defending a territory) is a series of repeated phrases, often
ending with a sharp trill.
Nests are well hidden in vegetation on the ground. Grubs and insects make up most of
the young birds' diet during summer and autumn, but seeds are important in the win-
ter months. Spotted Towhees are more often seen feeding on seeds spilled to the
ground around birdfeeders than at the birdfeeders themselves.

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