Eastern Towhee look-alikes

Key differences

The Eastern Towhee was formerly considered conspecific with the Spotted Towhee. Spotted Towhees have white spots on their back and wings (males have black backs with white spots, females have brown backs with white spots), which Eastern Towhees lack. Spotted Towhees also have a more western distribution, with some overlap in the Great Plains where hybridization can occur.

Key differences

This is the former name for the combined species before it was split into Eastern and Spotted Towhees. The name 'Rufous-sided Towhee' is now obsolete in current taxonomy for a single species.

Key differences

While superficially similar in having a dark back and rufous breast/flanks, the American Robin is larger, has a gray back (not black/brown), a distinct orange-red breast (not just flanks), and lacks the white belly and white outer tail feathers of the towhee. Robins forage by running and stopping, then pulling worms, rather than the towhee's double-scratching in leaf litter.