One adult male (1997-60) on 22 December 1997, Cameron: woods ¼ mi. E of Savoie Rd. and Hwy. 82; Melvin Weber.
One female (1997-77) on 30 November 1997, Cameron: ridge just E of Rutherford Beach; Phillip A. Wallace.
One female (1997-63) on 22 December 1997, Cameron: approximately 1.5 mi. E of Rutherford Beach community; Paul E. Conover. May involve same individual as reported earlier that fall (1997-77).
One immature male (98-21) from 4 Jan-23 Feb 1998, East Baton Rouge: Baton Rouge, ca 2.5 mi. S of LSU campus on River Road, entrance to Baton Rouge Equestrian Center; Daniel F. Lane (LSUMZ 166063), Christopher C. Witt (ph only taken 23 Feb, published in FN); FN 52(2): 212 (does not give the full date range).
One adult male (98-145) on 8 Nov 1998, Cameron: ca 5 mi. E of Cameron; Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 168215; DLD) and Donna L. Dittmann; NAB 53(1): 65.
One immature male (99-101) on 27 Nov 1999, Cameron: Rutherford Beach, 3/4 mi. E of junction Rutherford Beach Road; Robert D. Purrington (ph) and B. Mac Myers III (ph); NAB 54(1): 64.
One female in 1st basic plumage (2002-77) on 19 Dec 2002, DeSoto: Stonewall, Hervey Farm on Missile Base Road, James L. Ingold (ph, banded, band no. 1781-80048).
Two, a male and female (2002-75), from 21 Dec 2002-1 Jan 2003, Caddo: Shreveport, Bickham Dickson Park; Jeff Trahan (ph) and Charles E. Lyon (ph).
One (2005-18) on 8 Feb 2005, Claiborne: Arizona Road, just N of Lake Claiborne; Phillip A. Wallace (ph).
One adult male (2006-038) on 26 November 2006, Plaquemines: Fort Jackson woods; Robert D. Purrington.
One adult female (2008-42) on 3 February 2008,
Caddo: Shreveport, C. Bickham Dickson Park;
Jeffrey Trahan
(ph).
Photo by Jeffrey Trahan
One adult male (2009-010) on 18 January 2009, Bossier: Miller’s Bluff, 4 mi. S Wardview near junction of Miller’s Bluff
and Buckshot roads;
Devin Bosler
(ph).
Photo by Devin Bosler
Two, male and female (2009-021) on 1 February 2009, Bossier: vicinity of Plain Dealing, female near 858 Bolinger Cutoff
Rd. just W Hwy. 157 and ca 1 mi. E Hwy. 3, and male ca 4 mi. NNE of female’s location;
Terry Davis.
NOTE: In the future, the LBRC will not accept submissions for obviously separate occurrences in a single report.
One (2009-022) on 14 February 2009, Claiborne: NNE of Colquitt community; Terry Davis.
One (2009-76) on 7 November 2009, Cameron:
Peveto Woods Sanctuary;
Gary Broussard
(ph).
Photo by Gary Broussard
One (2009-90) on 31 December 2009, Cameron:
“Big Woods”, approx. 9 mi. E of Cameron on Trosclair Road;
Erik I. Johnson
(ph).
Photo by Erik I. Johnson
One (2010-05) on 10 February 2010, Sabine:
Antioch Church Road just W of intersection Antioch
Church Road and Marie Lane, 31.83853o N, 93.53491o
W;
Jeff Trahan
(ph).
Photo by Jeff Trahan
One male (2011-087) on 30 October 2011, Cameron:
Peveto Woods Sanctuary;
Justin Bosler (ph) and
Rosemary Seidler
(ph). Reportedly found by Cody DeStein.
Photo by Rosemary Seidler
One female (2011-103) on 4 November 2011, Cameron:
Peveto Woods Sanctuary;
Thomas Finnie
(ph).
Photo by Thomas Finnie
One male (2011-089) on 16 December 2011, Cameron:
Coto Plot Road, S of Hwy. 14, just E of Lacassine Bayou;
Christopher G. Brantley and
Walker Wilson
(ph).
Photo by Walker Wilson
One male (2011-137) on 23 December 2011, Cameron: woods at 2400 block of Trosclair Rd., ca 9 mi. E Cameron; Paul E. Conover.
One female (2011-088) on 23 December 2011,
Cameron: woodlot on 2400 block of Trosclair Road, about 9 mi.
E of Cameron;
Paul E. Conover
(ph).
Photo by Paul E. Conover
One male (2012-012) on 11 January 2012, Union:
Meridian Church, west of Marion, N 32.896322°,W 92.3437°;
Stephen Pagans
(ph).
Photo by Stephen Pagans
One (2012-013) on 14 January 2012, Webster: Yellow
Pine Road Christian Church, Yellow Pine Road, SSW of
Sibley;
James L. Ingold
(ph).
Photo by James L. Ingold
One female (2012-014) on 29 January 2012, Cameron:
Peveto Woods Sanctuary;
Paul E. Conover
(ph) and
Dave Patton
(ph).
Treated as different individual from 2011-103.
Photo by Paul E. Conover
One (2012-110) on 4 February 2012, Vermilion: 16.4 mi. ESE Pecan Island, Chenier au Tigre, Paul J. Rainey Audubon
Sanctuary;
Erik I. Johnson
(ph).
Photo by Erik I. Johnson
One female (2012-015) on 5 February 2012, Cameron,
Little Chenier, on Little Chenier Road 1-2 mi. E of Muria
Road;
Paul E. Conover
(ph).
With Eastern Towhee. Photo by Paul E. Conover
One (2012-095; also erroneously published as 2012-113) on 5 February 2012, Cameron: Oak Grove, Oak Grove Sanctuary;
David J. Ringer
(ph).
Photo by David J. Ringer
One male (2012-111) on 5 February 2012, Ouachita: Beulah Church Rd., ca 0.1 mi. N Hwy. 144, N 32.473250o, W
92.415194o;
Stephen L. Pagans
(ph).
Photo by Stephen L. Pagans
One male (2012-016) on 7 February 2012, Cameron, Oak Grove; William Matthews (ph).
One (2012-114) on 11 February 2012, West Feliciana: W. end of paved trail associated with The Bluffs community; David J. Ringer (ph).
One (2012-097; also erroneously published as 2012-117) on 19 February 2012, Calcasieu: intersection of Elliot and Lincoln Rds., approximately 5 mi. SW of Lake
Charles;
Paul E. Conover
(ph).
Photo by Paul E. Conover
One (2012-098) on 26 February 2012, Union: intersection of DeLoutre Switch Rd. and Hwy. 33, 6 mi. SW of Marion;
Stephen L. Pagans
(ph).
Photo by Stephen L. Pagans
One male (2012-127) on 25 March 2012, Jackson: Bradford Rd., N 32.486472o , W 92.464806o;
Stephen L. Pagans (ph).
Photo by Stephen L. Pagans
One (2012-050) on 11 November 2012, Cameron: woods W of BRAS Peveto Woods Sanctuary;
Paul E. Conover (ph).
Photo by Paul E. Conover
One female (2012-031) on 27 December 2012, Lafayette: Deer Park Ln., approximately 1.7 mi. N of Milton;
Erik I Johnson
(ph, audio) and
Toddy Guidry
(ph only).
Photo by Toddy Guidry
Up to three (2013-044) on 3 and 10 November 2013, Bossier: Red River NWR, Headquarters Unit;
Terry Davis and
Ronnie Maum
(ph only).
Photo by Ronnie Maum
One (2013-043) on 9 November 2013, Red River: Red River NWR, Bayou Pierre Unit, Yates Tract;
Terry Davis and Jeffrey Trahan
(ph only).
Photo by Jeffrey Trahan
One adult female (2019-005) on 13 January 2019, Vermilion: Pecan Island;
Phillip A. Wallace (ph)
and
Paul Conover (ph, audio).
Photo by Phillip A. Wallace
Two adults, male and female (2019-010) on 21-25 January 2019, Cameron: Grand Chenier, N 29.723o, W
92.786o;
Phillip A. Wallace (ph),
Paul Conover (ph),
Andrew From, and
Robert C. Dobbs (ph, audio).
Photos by Phillip A. Wallace
One male (2019-028) on 10-11 February 2019, Lafayette: Oakridge Drive; Kathleen O’Shaughnessy (
One male (2001-104) on 16 December 2001, Cameron: Johnsons Bayou, Johnsons Bayou Cemetery (ph only). A majority
of Members agreed that the prominent white patch visible at the base of the primaries was more suggestive of a hybrid.
Two adult males (2003-047) on 14 December 2003, Caddo: Shreveport, Brayford Rd. off W. end of S. Lakeshore Dr.
Most Members believed that the description was either not adequate for identification as a Spotted Towhee, or did not eliminate hybrid Spotted X Eastern towhee.
One male (2012-109) on 1 February 2012, Jackson: N of Hwy. 548, ENE of Hatham, N 32.306506o, W 92.363611o. This
was another “heard-only” report. The description of the voice was unconvincing in confirming Spotted Towhee and excluding
Eastern Towhee or an Eastern X Spotted towhee hybrid.
One male (2012-115) on 14-15 February 2012, Ouachita: ca 0.7 mi. NE Hwy. 557 and Marvin Head Rd. Photographs
were included with this report, but neither the photos or supporting description were sufficient to eliminate a hybrid or abnormal Eastern Towhee.
One male (2012-120) on 26 February 2012, Union: intersection of DeLoutre Switch Rd. and Hwy. 33, 6 mi. SW Marion,
N 32.835756o, W 92.316161o. Photographs submitted better supported an Eastern Towhee or Eastern X Spotted towhee hybrid.
One adult male (2015-053) on 30 October 2015, Cameron: Willow Island, 7 mi. E Cameron. This record
received a mixed vote, with the majority of Members of the opinion that the description was too brief to safely
identify this species and eliminate potential hybrids with Eastern Towhee.
One male (2017-090) on 18 December 2017, Cameron: Gayle Farm, 1.65 mi. SE Hwy. 384,m N29.9653o, W93.0091o
(ph, audio). This was an interesting record and went to Discussion Round because audio was obtained of the bird giving the
classic call of an Eastern Towhee. Plumage characters supported identification as a Spotted Towhee and, in the absence of the
audio recording, the identification would have been confirmed as such. A long discussion ensued about mimicry of calls, or
whether a wrong call was more consistent with mimicry or hybridization. There were concerns that calls may be ‘hardwired’ in
oscines compared to their flexibility of learning other sounds to incorporate as song or alarm notes. Members noted that
Louisiana is generally due south of the towhee hybrid zone. Some Members were concerned that by rejecting this record it
would force submission of audio documentation for all towhee records in order to consistently rule-out potential hybrids.
Ultimately, Members decided that records would continue to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and that audio would not be
mandatory going forward. Following Discussion Round Vote, the three Members did not accept the record based on the
“wrong” call.
One heard only (2019-001) on 1 January 2019, Claiborne: intersection of Mulnix Switch and Tulip roads,
near the town of Athens. All Members agreed that, because of the possibility of other species mimicking a
Spotted Towhee, or the possibility of an Eastern Towhee that had learned the “wrong” call, or the possibility of
an Eastern X Spotted hybrid, a heard-only report of this species was not satisfactory.
ph
only) and Paul Conover (ph). Reportedly discovered by Chuck Broussard.
Photos by Kathleen O’ShaughnessyUnaccepted Records
One adult male (2001-053) on 27 October 2001, Cameron: Oak Grove, N. edge of woods N of (former)
Rutherford Motel (=Oak Grove Sanctuary). All Members agreed that the details were too superficial and that a hybrid
was not satisfactorily eliminated from consideration.