Today is Earth Day. It's a beautiful, sunny clear day in Vancouver with not a cloud in the sky. Spring is in full swing with an abundance of blossoms and flowers everywhere you look. Walking through Burnaby Park, I came across a bird I have seen before, but hadn't been able to get a clear photo yet. There was another gentleman photographing who looked like a bird enthusiast so I asked him for information. He told me it was a spotted Towhee and that it was part of the robin family.
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| Spotted Towhee |
According to Birds of the Pacific Northwest Coast (Baron & Acorn, 1997), this bird was originally called a Rufous-sided Towhee but they are now recognized as a separate species. According to this book, they are a part of the sparrow family. The bird I saw made a mewing sound like a kitten and although hesitant, it did come near me.
These birds are year-round residents in shrubby areas and forest edges from mid-Vancouver Island across to Maine and down to California. They are about about 18cm.
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| Peek-A-Boo |
Resources:
Baron, N. & Acorn, J. (1997). Birds of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Renton, WA: Lone Pine Publishing.
