Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)

Spotted Towhee, a reference photo — Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California · CC BY 2.0 (licence)

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 Another outdated name for the spotted towhee is the Oregon towhee (particularly for the subspecies Pipilo maculatus oregonus).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.

From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Is it venomous or poisonous?

We have no record of Spotted Towhee being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.

Easily confused with

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Passerellidae
Genus: Pipilo
Species: Pipilo maculatus

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