California Towhee Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song
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California, April 14, 2012Recorded by Bob McGuire / Macaulay Library
Song
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California, March 28, 2020Recorded by Paul Marvin / Macaulay Library
Song
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California, March 24, 2019Recorded by Bruce Rideout / Macaulay Library
Calls
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California, April 23, 2018Recorded by James (Jim) Holmes / Macaulay Library
Calls
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California, April 14, 2020Recorded by Brian Sullivan / Macaulay Library
Calls
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California, August 11, 2019Recorded by Paul Marvin / Macaulay Library
Calls
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California, July 03, 2020Recorded by Paul Marvin / Macaulay Library
Juvenile calls
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California, June 23, 2019Recorded by Bruce Rideout / Macaulay Library
Flight calls
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California, November 08, 2019Recorded by Bruce Rideout / Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

The song is given only by male California Towhees and is made up of repetitions of the bird’s metallic chip note. Songs typically start with a few well-spaced notes that rapidly accelerate into a trill and then stop abruptly. The whole song typically lasts 1–2 seconds.

Calls

The most frequently heard sound from California Towhees is a clear, metallic chip, similar to the sound of a Northern Cardinal (and also to the California ground squirrel). Males and females may call intermittently or in a monotonous string of chips every couple of seconds. When birds are alarmed, the chipping rate may triple. Mated pairs often face each other and give a rapid series of squeals and squeaks; this call is an important part of reinforcing the pair bond.