Welcome to Day 3 of California Towhee Week! Locally, not only are California Towhees one of the most widespread and visible birds, but they’re also quite vocal. Their most common vocalization is a simple and distinctive call, and can easily be added to your ear-birding arsenal. Listen below.
This metallic “tink!” call is used in a variety of contexts – to maintain a pair bond, to keep in contact with a mate or family member, or to sound an alarm. To our human ears, these call notes may sound identical across different situations. However, to other California Towhees listening in, a call’s particular meaning is conveyed via context, persistence, and intensity.
A male also emits this simple call during general territory maintenance – often starting before dawn, “tink“-ing away to proclaim ownership while policing the edges of his breeding territory.
Our resident male must have a territory edge near our bedroom. Every morning, we hear him calling loudly through our closed window, then disappearing for several minutes before returning for another round of “tink“-s.
The song of the California Towhee is almost exclusively sung by unmated males looking to attract a mate. These bachelors will sing for a large portion of the day, often from a high exposed perch. The song is comprised of several “tink” notes strung together in an accelerating pattern. Sometimes, the song ends with some lower-pitched gurgled notes, like in the recording below.
A less common call is a high-pitched “zeet,” which is often given between a pair of birds hiding in bramble. Many other sparrow species have a similar type of call.
California Towhees make a variety of other vocalizations heard less frequently, such as antagonistic calls used during confrontations or sounds made while communicating with nestlings. And, we’re saving a very special vocalization for tomorrow’s post – stay tuned!
Tell us, have you heard a California Towhee calling or singing around your house lately?
If you’re interested in more about California Towhees, check out the rest of the series!
Day 1: It’s National California Towhee Week: Let’s Celebrate!
Day 2: California Towhee: Subtle Beauty
Day 4: California Towhee: Mates for Life
Day 5: California Towhee: Two Broods Are Better Than One!
Day 6: California Towhee: The “Birb” Factor
Day 7: California Towhee: Friend of the Fox
yeah, they wake me up dawn/pre dawn. which towhee does the “drink your teeeheeeheeeee”? is the the spotted towhee? the rufous sided towhee i grew up with back east would make that call as well
The Rufous-sided Towhee was split into the Eastern Towhee & Spotted Towhee back in the mid 90s. The now ‘Eastern Towhee’ sings the “drink your teeeeheeeee” song. The Spotted Towhee, which we get out here, sings a similar song, but mostly drops the staccato “drink your” introduction and simply has a buzzy trill. Sometimes they have a quick little intro note right before the trill.
Here’s a recording of the Spotted Towhee song: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/142302811
Here’s the All About Birds page for the Eastern Towhee: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Towhee/sounds
Nice to hear the 1:33 minute Concert of the California Towhee. And thank you so much for the link to All About Birds Page for Eastern Towhee that I look forward to encounter in this Eastern Townships part of Québec, Canada.
Indeed – free bird concerts daily!
Hi! We have a California Towhee that wakes us up from outside our window every morning, and then follows up by policing various points in our yard (and at least two other neighbor’s yards) and calling almost constantly ALL THROUGH THE DAY! I saw him with another bird (looked like another Towhee) yesterday and thought he’d found a mate, but today he is back solo. Don’t know if he’s looking for a mate or protecting one on the nest. But, there is no missing his constant calling!
I have been aware of the sound the Towhee makes because they seem to need to talk story when I am in my backyard and do not hold back with their opinions. I always respond with a “chirpy” hello and they seem to always carry the conversation forward. Most recently 7/01/22 in Santa Barbara I open my back door and go about the usual morning activities like sitting at a table near the door drinking coffee and reading. I hear a few chirps and the next thing I am joined by a hopping chirping visitor who hops in with little concern for safety but is hell bent on scouring the floors for any unclaimed debris the dog missed and nirvana when the intruder actually finds the dog bed unoccupied and “Oh the things I’ll find!” A quick chirp and a hearty good bye with whatever acquired treats in beak. They seem to be ventriloquist’s of sorts talking with their beaks full. These indoor visits have escalated as well as the commotion all around my house. It must be family oriented such as are most family gatherings….noisy!
But I think they are intuitive and sense a “Sparrows” loneliness after my husband died recently. Yes our last name is Sparrow and I thank those Towhee’s for inviting me into their family!! What? Of course I will be buying bird seed!
Cheers!! Kate